Everyone’s rooms were on the second floor, but they weren’t all next to each other.
The two largest bedrooms were at one end of the hallway, while the two smaller ones were at the other end.
In between was the common area, which had two living rooms and a small kitchen. The main kitchen was on the first floor.
Ming Shu noticed the beautiful mini-colored kitchenware in the small kitchen, so she took Lu Shiyu’s hand and went to take a look around.
She picked up a small golden milk pot, its plump, round belly looking quite adorable.
“If only I knew how to cook.”
“This pot isn’t suitable for stir-frying, but it’s good for boiling milk or making porridge. If you want to learn, I can teach you some simple things.”
This was a difficult question to answer. Ming Shu wanted to learn how to cook, but she was afraid of what she might produce. She put down the small milk pot—better not to ruin the food and kitchenware.
Lu Shiyu chuckled softly, then suppressed the smile in his eyes as he led Ming Shu forward.
Although he didn’t want her to meet Zhou Yichen, he wanted to know if Ming Shu still had feelings for him.
If she did…
[From what they’re saying, it sounds like Ming Shu can’t cook and Lu Shiyu does all the work at home?]
[What an absolutely amazing man Lu Shiyu is! Top-tier looks + nine-head-tall figure + culinary skills—Ming Shu is so lucky! She must have accumulated eight lifetimes of virtue, with her ancestors’ graves smoking with good fortune!]
[Let’s be optimistic, maybe they don’t usually live together.]
Quan Zhengyou lived across from Zhou Yichen. Seeing Lu Shiyu approaching, he walked out to greet him.
“Teacher Lu.”
“Teacher Quan.”
Quan Zhengyou covered his heart, flattered, and smiled. “Teacher Lu, just call me Zhengyou. I’m just a singer—how could I let you call me ‘teacher’?”
Lu Shiyu served as an honorary professor at the Huaxia Film Academy and occasionally returned to teach. Plus, as a multi-billion box office actor, calling him “teacher” was absolutely appropriate.
But Quan Zhengyou saying he was “just a singer” was definitely modest. He had released one album with sales exceeding ten million and two albums with sales over five million each. He was a top figure in the music industry, with significant influence across Asia.
Sun Qian also came out and smiled. “Teacher Lu is a year older than Zhengyou and me. How about we call you Brother Lu from now on, and you can just call us by our names? Would that be okay?”
Lu Shiyu: “No problem.”
Sun Qian looked at Ming Shu. “The three of us—you, Jin’er, and I—are all around the same age. Let’s call each other by our names. Sister Youling debuted earlier, so we’ll call her ‘sister.’ Ming Shu, what do you think?”
Ming Shu: “Sure, I have no objections.”
She was 23 this year but hadn’t celebrated her birthday yet, making her the youngest among the eight guests. If she had come alone to participate in the variety show without Lu Shiyu backing her up, probably no one would have asked for her opinion—she would have just been assigned her role.
The feeling of having a powerful backer was really good.
Zhou Yichen and Su Jin’er heard the voices and came out of their rooms to greet everyone.
Zhou Yichen hugged Quan Zhengyou. He had debuted as a singer and had studied under the same teacher as Quan Zhengyou before, making them fellow disciples. Even if they weren’t usually close, with this connection, they had to appear familiar in front of the cameras.
Su Jin’er and Sun Qian just nodded and smiled at each other. One was an actress, the other a model—they had never worked together and seemed a bit distant.
Ming Shu habitually stood beside Lu Shiyu, her slender back pressed against the man’s abdominal muscles and chest, her fluffy little head nestled in his embrace. She didn’t notice how intimate their posture was.
At home, she was almost never on her feet. When Lu Shiyu read books or scripts on the sofa, she would lazily push aside the book in his hands, sit on his lap, and have him carry her to the bedroom to fetch things—utterly spoiled.
Lu Shiyu indulged her every whim, doting on her excessively. Over time, Ming Shu came to believe all married couples were like this, completely unaware of the almost pathological level of affection Lu Shiyu had for her.
This deeply ingrained pampering made Ming Shu unconsciously crave being close to Lu Shiyu. Of course, Lu Shiyu wouldn’t remind the little treasure in his arms—this was exactly what he desired, the love he cherished most.
When Zhou Yichen’s gaze swept over them, Lu Shiyu raised his hand and stroked Ming Shu’s head with a comforting, massaging touch. Ming Shu instinctively buried her face in his chest, her soft cheek rubbing against his black shirt like a little animal not yet weaned.
Quan Zhengyou and Sun Qian were stunned.
They were semi-fans of Lu Shiyu. Even if they weren’t fond of gossip, as fans, they wouldn’t miss any news about their idol.
Lu Shiyu had been in the industry for eight years, and the only gossip about him was his contractual marriage with Ming Shu—a relationship without love, on the verge of divorce. It was said that Lu Shiyu joined “Sweet Journey” because Ming Shu threatened him, forcing him to pretend to be a loving couple.
What a load of nonsense from the internet!
Ming Shu was clearly a little bunny whose claws weren’t even sharp yet, one who would happily drink from a bottle if given one. And look at Lu Shiyu—that intimidating aura, his unfathomable strength, and those deep, sharp eyes. Who could possibly force such a dominant figure? Unless he was willing.
Ming Shu had no idea she had become the center of attention. She was still snuggling and rubbing against him. If they weren’t filming a show, she would have wrapped her legs around Lu Shiyu’s waist, letting him massage her back and shoulders, and maybe even dozing off in his arms. Although sleeping while being held wasn’t comfortable, being able to snuggle up to his beautiful muscles made it worthwhile.
Zhou Yichen lowered his gaze, his eyes dark and inscrutable, lost in thought.
Su Jin’er smiled and said, “Ming Shu, I heard you found two keys. That’s amazing! Earlier, when Yichen and I were chatting, we were worried that someone as quiet and delicate as you wouldn’t be able to handle the hardship. It’s so sunny outside—it’s easy to get heatstroke.”
[Quiet and delicate? Is she talking about Ming Shu? When she was running around sweating to find the keys, she was anything but quiet.]
[I’m not a fan of Ming Shu, so I don’t know her.]
[Two-faced, I guess. Hardworking and diligent in front of others, quiet and delicate behind closed doors. What an act!]
[Is this how she tricked Lu Shiyu into marrying her? He should divorce her soon—this woman is terrifying!]
Only the public areas on the second floor had cameras installed. The audience could hear the guests talking, but their figures were somewhat blurry.
After all, it was a live-streamed variety show. If the cameras got too close to the guests’ private lives and exposed something inappropriate, it would become a PR crisis.
Sun Qian glanced at Ming Shu, then at Su Jin’er, trying to smooth things over. “In this scorching heat, even someone like me who spends all year in the gym can’t handle it, let alone a quiet and delicate girl.”
Quan Zhengyou added, “I feel hot too. The sun is just too intense today.”
Ming Shu was originally nestled in Lu Shiyu’s arms. Upon hearing Su Jin’er’s words, she lifted her head from his chest and looked at Su Jin’er, her fair and slightly flushed face breaking into a faint smile. “Yes, I was indeed quite quiet during my school days, a bit bookish and aloof.”
Quan Zhengyou: !!
Sun Qian: !!
Ming Shu: “What can I do? I was too popular in college. If I hadn’t been a little quiet and aloof, the line of people chasing me would have stretched from here to the Eiffel Tower. How troublesome that would have been.”
Su Jin’er sneered inwardly. What a boastful claim. There was a reason Ming Shu was an unknown actress—netizens would teach her what humility meant.
【Ugh, this unknown flop star is so full of herself!】
【But Ming Shu’s looks are truly flawless. Even standing next to rising star Su Jin’er and supermodel Sun Qian, she’s stunningly beautiful.】
【As everyone knows, female celebrities in the entertainment industry who build a ‘femme fatale’ persona always crash and burn—either exposed with unflattering photos or messy private lives.】
【Netizens are probably digging into it already. Watching the livestream while waiting for the tea to spill.】