Chapter 20

Because Ning Mingyue’s health wasn’t a big issue, the group only stayed at the hospital for a while before returning to the villa.

Jiang Sheshe and Fu Zhi were the first pair of guests to finish their date and return to the villa.

Fu Zhi sat on the sofa, gripping his phone, looking sullen and unhappy.

They had so much fun on their date with Shen Yibai, they didn’t even have time to reply to messages?

“Why aren’t they back yet?” Fu Zhi muttered to himself.

“They’re probably all having a great time. After all, the other guests aren’t like a certain someone with such low emotional intelligence that no one wants to go on a date with him.”

Jiang Sheshe rolled her eyes.

She had finally found someone on this show she disliked even more than Ning Xi; that person was Fu Zhi!

Fu Zhi shot Jiang Sheshe a cold look, then simply stormed off to the gym to vent his frustration.

When Ning Xi returned to the villa, she had just put her things away in her room and opened the bedroom door again, only to be startled by the tall, dark figure standing at the doorway.

“Fu Zhi, you’d better have a good reason for this.”

Ning Xi rubbed her wrist.

Otherwise, she’d really want to hit someone.

Fu Zhi had originally wanted to ask Ning Xi about her date today, but when he spoke, it came out as:

“What was up with the guest groupings today?”

Ning Xi immediately caught on and smiled: “What? Are you here to thank me for picking your date partner?”

In the photo, Fu Zhi and Jiang Sheshe were practically holding hands-he must have been satisfied…

“Thank you, my ass!” Fu Zhi was speechless. “If there’s ever another choice like this, don’t pair me with Jiang Sheshe.”

All he heard the whole time was Jiang Sheshe’s screaming.

His ears were about to go deaf.

Ning Xi looked a bit troubled: “Then who else can you be paired with? You don’t like Jiang Sheshe, and I can’t bear to give up Ning Mingyue. Maybe you should just stay single next time.”

Ning Xi wore a smile that said, “I’ll spoil you just this once.”

Fu Zhi: …

Fu Zhi had wanted to say, “What about you?” but in the end, he held back.

“What do you mean you can’t bear to give up Ning Mingyue?”

“If I get the chance, of course I want to be paired with Mingyue!”

Fu Zhi: “??? Are you okay? Don’t you know what kind of relationship you two have?”

He’d always thought Ning Xi was just joking when she acted crazy about Ning Mingyue.

He hadn’t expected Ning Xi to genuinely like Ning Mingyue, her rival, this much.

Ning Xi nodded: “I know. She’s alive, I’m alive, she’s a girl, I’m a girl-how could there be such a coincidence in the world? Mingyue and I are a match made in heaven, the best of friends.”

“Openly admitting I like my sister is just to stir up my stagnant life. Only when I’m targeted by her other suitors do I truly feel alive-living for my sister.”

Fu Zhi: ?

[This variety show is so wild, I love it!]

[Ning Xi, are you actually serious?]

Fu Zhi forced down his anger and said, “You and Ning Mingyue aren’t on the same side. Stay away from her.”

Then he lowered his voice: “And Shen Yibai, too. Those two are the real perfect match. Be smart, don’t get involved with them. Hurry up and break off your engagement with Shen Yibai!”

Ning Xi clicked her tongue: “What do you mean, not on the same side? There’s only one path in this world-the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics!”

“And Zhi, why are you so concerned about Shen Yibai? Boys shouldn’t be easily defined. If you like someone of the same sex, you can go on a date with Shen Yibai too!”

Fu Zhi: …

In the end, Fu Zhi was so exasperated by Ning Xi that he left.

*

That evening, Jiang Sheshe suggested having a barbecue in the villa’s courtyard, so Wei Xuan accompanied her to the supermarket to buy ingredients.

The remaining four stayed in the kitchen to prepare things for the upcoming barbecue.

“Put on an apron.”

Ning Mingyue handed an apron to Shen Yibai, waiting for him to put it on so she could help him tie it.

[Ahhhh, the classic kitchen scene-tying the apron!!!]
[The two of them are so natural together, it’s almost like they’re an old married couple.]

However, to everyone’s surprise-

Shen Yibai put on the apron by himself, without any help.

He seemed completely unaware of Ning Mingyue waiting beside him.

He even kindly helped Fu Zhi next to him, who couldn’t tie the apron behind his back.

Fu Zhi grumbled, “This thing is such a hassle.”

Shen Yibai’s expression was calm, saying nothing.

Ning Mingyue watched this scene, pursed her lips, wanting to say something but finding herself at a loss for words.

[I’m almost shipping you two now…]

[Even the highway isn’t as straight as Shen Yibai]

[The two girls are just watching, while the two guys help each other out. Alright, alright, this variety show really takes the road less traveled]

Ning Xi watched this scene, and her CP radar went off instantly.

With this, how could you not ship them?

Before, she just had a gut feeling that Shen Yibai and Fu Zhi were so close they were practically one person.

After all, Shen Yibai’s birth mother and Fu Zhi’s mom were distant cousins.

After Shen Yibai’s mother passed away, Fu Zhi’s mom treated Shen Yibai like her own son, and Fu Zhi became Shen Yibai’s little shadow, always looking out for him.

Even in the future plot, Fu Zhi not only helped Shen Yibai get rid of her-the fiancée-but also gave up Ning Mingyue, whom he liked, to Shen Yibai.

This…

Fu Zhi noticed Ning Xi’s gaze and, remembering what she had said earlier, bristled: “Ning Xi, stop letting your imagination run wild! Get all those crazy thoughts out of your head!”

His tone was almost through gritted teeth.

True to her principle of never self-reflecting, Ning Xi retorted:

“So you don’t think you have any issues at all? Since you know I’ll overthink, why do you keep doing things that make my mind wander?”

Fu Zhi was stunned: “Huh?”

Ning Xi: “Fine, I won’t overthink, but from now on you need to: one, stop being arrogant; two, stop being impatient; three, quit smoking; four, quit drinking; five, quit meat; six, quit gambling; seven, quit lust; eight, can you do all that?”

At first, Fu Zhi didn’t get it, but as he realized Ning Xi was scolding him, he was furious: “Ning Xi!!! You’re the one who needs to quit all that!!”

Ning Xi rubbed her ears with a hint of pity-having to listen to Fu Zhi yell so many times a day was really suffering.

Just then-

In the “Youai” group chat, Jiang Sheshe sent a photo of a shopping receipt.

Sleep Sleep Peace: “Does anyone want anything else to eat?”

Tian Xiaocao: “Buy another fish, let Mingyue get some nourishment.”

Sleep Sleep Peace: “…Who are you? What does Tian Xiaocao mean? Is that your real name?”

Ning Xi fell silent.

Well, it made sense. Someone like Jiang Sheshe, who grew up abroad, definitely hadn’t seen “My Mother Tian Xiaocao.”

Even though this username sounded like she was taking advantage, she really had no choice.

Just now, the Program Team reminded her that her username “Cause Trouble to Society” was inappropriate and asked her to change it.

Tian Xiaocao: “It’s a username.”

By now, Jiang Sheshe had already figured out that “Tian Xiaocao” was Ning Xi.

She replied, not too kindly: “Fish is so fishy, I don’t want to eat it, and I don’t know how to pick one either.”

Ning Xi smiled slightly: “I’ll teach you.”

“Remember: the bigger the fish, the bigger the bones; the bigger the bones, the less the meat; the less the meat, the smaller the bones; the smaller the bones, the smaller the fish; so the bigger the fish, the smaller the fish.”

Jiang Sheshe: “………………………………….”

Ning Xi didn’t know if Jiang Sheshe would actually buy it, so in the end she just ordered a delivery rider to buy a fresh fish and some of her favorite dishes from the nearby market.

When Ning Xi carried the things delivered by the rider into the kitchen-

Fu Zhi deliberately mocked her: “You went grocery shopping? Do you even know how to pick vegetables? Are these veggies pesticide-free?”

Ning Xi shrugged: “No idea. If you want to eat, add some yourself.”

Fu Zhi: …