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Chapter 47 – Chocolate
Early the next morning, everyone came to the makeup room that the production team had prepared in advance to get their hair and makeup done.
Six makeup stations were set up in the room. Jiang Liusui casually took a seat at one of them. Beside him, Xu Miao was drinking iced coffee again to reduce puffiness. Jiang Liusui glanced at her and asked, “Didn’t sleep well?”
Xu Miao replied weakly, “I can’t adjust to the time difference at all. My dark circles are practically drooping.”
She turned her head and, seeing Jiang Liusui looking radiant even without makeup, couldn’t help but say enviously, “You must’ve slept great, didn’t you?”
Jiang Liusui nodded.
He did have a bit of trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places. But maybe it was because he’d been sharing a bed with He Yujing these days, surrounded by a familiar scent last night, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
He liked to hold onto something while sleeping. Now, He Yujing held him instead. Compared to just hugging a pillow, being embraced felt much more secure. Lately, he had been sleeping deeply—exceptionally so.
However, given how intimately he and He Yujing slept in the same bed, Qin Yi seemed to glance at them a few extra times when they woke up in the morning, but ultimately said nothing.
Once all the guests had finished getting ready, a shuttle bus took them to the shopping street in the old town.
The street was wide and clean, lined with tall plane trees. By mid-September, the leaves at the treetops had already begun to yellow, and scattered fallen leaves covered the ground.
Rows of shops stretched out along both sides of the street. Sports brands and streetwear labels favored sleek, stylish designs, while antique watches, furs, and fine jewelry caught the light with a brilliant gleam. Inside the windows, couture pieces sat pristine, untouched by dust. Beyond the sea of shops, a huge department store rose at the T-intersection. At the corner, small bars and cafés spread open their parasols, and within the railings that defined each storefront, flowers bloomed in abundance.
“The teachers can start shopping now,” the host said with a smile. “Make sure you purchase all the necessary clothing. Once we head into the mountains, there will be no help provided.”
“Come on, Qingzhi.” Xu Miao was the first to link arms with Shang Qingzhi, her voice bright with excitement. “This is a world-famous shopping haven—I’ve wanted to stroll around here for ages!”
Shang Qingzhi smiled as she let Xu Miao tug her along. Just before turning away, she cast a discreet glance in the direction of the male guests.
The mountain climate was cold, and with no idea what awaited them once they went in, it made the most sense to buy warm, thick clothing to be safe. Xu Miao scanned the shops along the street and said, “Let’s go over there! There’s an outdoor gear store!”
The others followed Xu Miao ahead. Jiang Liusui was about to join them, but He Yujing turned and walked off in a different direction.
Jiang Liusui stopped and instinctively followed him. “Where are you going? Aren’t you getting warm clothes?”
He Yujing’s tone was as leisurely as if he were on vacation. “We’re already here. Might as well have a look around.”
The production team had allocated the entire day for shopping, so taking some time to stroll around first wasn’t really a problem. But the others…
When he noticed Jiang Liusui glance back, He Yujing asked on purpose, “So, are you going with them, or with me?”
He made it sound as though they were dividing the family[mfn]分家 (fēn jiā) – usually after marriage or inheritance, and implies a dramatic or serious separation. Used humorously here.[/mfn].
Jiang Liusui fell silent for a beat. Then he placed both hands on He Yujing’s shoulders and pushed him forward, letting his actions speak for his choice.
With his back turned, He Yujing felt the force on his shoulder, and a faint smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
They looked nothing like the locals, yet both were exceptionally striking, drawing plenty of attention.
He Yujing turned back to speak with Jiang Liusui. His handsome, sharp features were softened by a smile that dissipated his usual aloofness. They hadn’t gone far when He Yujing deliberately came to a stop. Jiang Liusui shoved at him a few times, only to find him immovable, and finally gave his shoulder a couple of impatient pats to hurry him along.
Their intimate behavior highlighted the differences in their height, build, and overall demeanor.
Suddenly, a passerby whistled at them—it was a young foreign man. Only then did Jiang Liusui realize that quite a few people around them were watching, all with smiles on their faces. It wasn’t like back home. Traveling abroad felt much more relaxed, especially in a small European nation like this. They didn’t know who they were—so it was just looking, nothing more…
Jiang Liusui couldn’t help commenting, “Foreigners are really enthusiastic.”
Unlike Jiang Liusui, who was still at a loss, He Yujing was used to traveling abroad. He knew full well that they were being taken for a foreign couple—and that people thought they looked good together. That was why the glances kept coming.
He Yujing chuckled softly but didn’t explain. “Yeah, really enthusiastic.”
As his words fell, he noticed several people’s gazes lingering on Jiang Liusui, carrying a subtle, appraising intent.
He Yujing’s expression cooled. He grabbed Jiang Liusui by the wrist and he pulled him closer. “Walk a little faster.”
He tugged the person at his side and ducked into the nearest shop. Jiang Liusui spared a glance at the window display—lightweight knitwear, printed jackets, slouchy ripped jeans. Clearly not what they needed, yet he followed He Yujing inside all the same.
Before entering, Jiang Liusui caught sight of a brightly colored chocolate shop in the distance and his eyes suddenly lit up.
That’s right—this place was famous for its chocolate. Once they were done browsing, he’d have to remember to buy some.
Since they had plenty of time anyway, and with He Yujing’s carefree attitude beside him, Jiang Liusui relaxed completely, effectively forgetting the production team’s mission.
Seeing them stroll leisurely through the store, their assigned cameramen hesitated, wanting to speak up but holding back.
Meanwhile, across the street, the other four guests were selecting down jackets, with Xu Miao and Shang Qingzhi seriously considering whether they could buy heating pads here—a stark contrast to the two slackers.
Jiang Liusui poked He Yujing, directing his attention to a white outfit displayed alone in a showcase. “How about this one?”
“Not bad,” He Yujing said with a glance. “The purple one’s a little nicer.”
Jiang Liusui hadn’t initially noticed the rich dark purple piece beside it, as he usually preferred lighter colors. After a careful comparison, he agreed, “Yeah, you’re right.”
A smile tugged at his lips as he turned to look at the person beside him. He Yujing wore a knee-length denim jacket over wide-leg trousers, his pure white sneakers untouched by a speck of dust. A mechanical watch in a rare shade of peach adorned his wrist, perfectly complementing the outfit. Honestly, nothing in the store looked as good as what he was wearing.
He Yujing keenly sensed his amusement. “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing,” Jiang Liusui said slowly. “Just thinking you’re really good at picking clothes.”
And also really good at wearing them.
Like a peacock.
He wisely kept the last thought to himself.
When they stepped out of the store and rounded a corner, still planning to browse shoes, the production team watching from backstage could no longer tolerate it and had the cameramen stop the two idlers in advance.
Under the gaze of both of them, the cameraman said awkwardly, “Teacher Jiang, Teacher He, you actually need to return to the original meeting point by four in the afternoon. Vehicles will be waiting there. Once it hits four, we leave immediately. Tonight, we’re heading to the hot spring hotel in the mountains for the night.”
The host had mentioned yesterday that they would have a full day for shopping, so the sudden change made both of them react with varying expressions. Jiang Liusui instinctively asked, “What about the luggage…?”
“You won’t be able to return to the hotel for your luggage.” The cameraman noticed Jiang Liusui still hadn’t grasped the situation and added, “You have to buy everything you need within the remaining four-plus hours. We’ll keep your luggage for you.”
Then, he carefully relayed the production team’s message: “Due to the behavior of certain guests, we originally planned to notify everyone an hour later, but now we have to do it twenty minutes early.”
Jiang Liusui and He Yujing both fell silent. Once he processed it, Jiang Liusui was the first to shift the blame, asking with a smile, “Some guests must have the surname He, right?”
“You saw it too, don’t just blame me.” He Yujing couldn’t quite accept it and turned to the cameraman, “No, this is way too sudden. At least leave me two outfits I can actually wear.”
The production team hadn’t expected this kind of bargaining and were momentarily at a loss. He Yujing frowned, “If it really can’t be helped, at least leave me a pair of shoes… and my tablet—”
Jiang Liusui couldn’t bear to watch him put the unfortunate staff through any more trouble. He grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him along. “Stop talking. We can still buy everything new in time.”
He Yujing had wanted to argue, at least to get his tablet back, but the moment Jiang Liusui grabbed his wrist, his words died on his lips.
After a moment, he glanced at Jiang Liusui’s hand holding his and said, “Oh, alright then.”
“……”
Once the biggest wildcard had been effortlessly handled, the cameraman breathed a sigh of relief, silently thanking Jiang Liusui in his heart as he quietly followed behind them.
With their time cut by more than half, Jiang Liusui and He Yujing hurriedly searched for suitable shops along the street and soon found an outdoor supplies store. Coincidentally, Xu Miao and the others also arrived in the area.
As Xu Miao passed through the men’s section, she unintentionally spotted two familiar figures picking out clothes. He Yujing turned his head and said something to Jiang Liusui behind him. Jiang Liusui nodded, and she saw He Yujing pick up… two identical jackets, differing only in size?
Are they going to try which size fits better?
With the production team’s sudden announcement of new rules, Xu Miao hadn’t finished her own shopping yet. She had no time to worry about what they were doing, thinking she’d greet them later, and rushed straight to the women’s section.
By the time they were checking out, all six guests had gathered at the counter, with piles of clothes they’d selected lined up on the long counter. Xu Miao glanced over, her gaze finally settling on the two khaki jackets that were identical except for slight differences in size.
She couldn’t hold back her urge to comment, “What’s going on with you two? Even buying matching outfits? Look at Qin-ge and Xiao Mu—they each bought their own stuff.”
Mu Zhe perked up at the sound of his name and peeked over. “Oh! Really~”
Qin Yi and Shang Qingzhi, who were in line ahead, also turned around and looked over with interest.
Moreover, these were the same jackets He Yujing had picked out earlier. He even knew Jiang Liusui’s size.
The more Xu Miao thought about it, the more suspicious she felt. Just then, He Yujing chuckled, “Right, don’t worry about it.”
Seeing Jiang Liusui not even bother to argue, Xu Miao blinked in surprise. “Wow, Suisui only listens to you now?”
Jiang Liusui, who hadn’t wanted to get involved initially, couldn’t help but laugh at her remark. Xu Miao recalled the sudden notification they had received earlier: “The production team originally planned to notify everyone an hour later, but because of certain guests’ performances, it was moved up by twenty minutes—”
Even though the production team seemed frustrated with the antics of “certain guests,” having someone unpredictable, rule-breaking, and full of personality is exactly what makes a variety show fun to watch.
Those twenty minutes might simply have been the directors thinking their aimless wandering was entertaining enough to justify moving up the schedule.
Xu Miao knew the situation well and mentioned it only jokingly. Since only the two of them had been absent earlier, she suspected He Yujing was the more likely culprit for slacking off and teased, “Yu-ge, did you corrupt Suisui astray?”
He Yujing, however, gave a confident retort. “Does he need me to?”
Jiang Liusui gave him a light smack without saying a word. He Yujing met his gaze and quickly changed his tune: “Alright, my fault.”
Xu Miao couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something odd about these two. She turned away, and after a moment, it finally dawned on her what they reminded her of.
A couple teasing and flirting with each other, just like the young couples around her—especially the kind where one dotes on the other completely.
She couldn’t resist glancing back and happened to catch He Yujing with one arm draped over Jiang Liusui’s shoulder, whispering something to him. Their heads were nearly touching, looking incredibly intimate.
Xu Miao: “……” Unbelievable.
Rumors about He Yujing and Jiang Liusui had been swirling wildly in the industry. Xu Miao had assumed that after a while, people’s attention would shift—after all, the entertainment industry never lacks exciting and sensational news.
Yet, after Sylvie‘s fashion gala, the public’s enthusiasm had only intensified, even giving rise to a surprising third version of the story. A well-known young actress passionately claimed that everyone had been wrong before! She had seen it with her own eyes—they were clearly deeply in love!
The debate over whether He Yujing was forcibly pursuing Jiang Liusui or if it was a mutual attraction was still raging fiercely. Xu Miao had initially dismissed it as gossip, but today she couldn’t help wondering.
Could these two… actually have something going on?
To save time, the six guests left the store and headed straight to the largest department store, splitting up to pick up everything they needed. After a whirlwind shopping spree, everyone gradually arrived at the meeting point set by the production team. He Yujing arrived last, just barely on time, juggling a mountain of shopping bags—no less impressive than the two female guests.
Jiang Liusui gave him a few extra glances, silently guessing that, knowing He Yujing, he probably even bought new shower gel on the spot.
“—Alright! All the teachers are here!” the host appeared at just the right moment. “So, how was today’s shopping experience?”
Someone—uncertain who—called out, “Pretty good… would’ve been better if my luggage hadn’t been confiscated.”
Everyone laughed, and the host chimed in, “We’re holding your luggage to help you travel light~ Whether you’ve got all the essentials or not, it’s time to head out. Tonight, we’re off to a hot spring hotel high in the mountains!”
They boarded the vehicle one by one. Not long after the car started moving, Jiang Liusui suddenly let out an “Ah!” and looked regretfully out the window at a dessert shop that flashed by.
He had forgotten to buy chocolate.
After receiving the production team’s last-minute notice, he had been solely focused on buying all the essentials and accidentally forgot about this matter entirely. They were going into the mountains for two days, and upon returning, they might still visit the city—perhaps there would be a suitable opportunity then…
Just as he was comforting himself, the person beside him suddenly handed him a heavy shopping bag.
The sweet aroma of chocolate wafted from the bag, which was filled to the brim with brightly colored tin boxes stacked inside, each containing various flavors of handmade chocolates.
Jiang Liusui’s eyes lit up. “When did you get these?”
“I just bought them when I passed by.”
Knowing how much Jiang Liusui loved sweets, he had made a deliberate detour to pick them up.
Seeing Jiang Liusui’s bright, sparkling eyes fixed on him, as if he wanted to say something but didn’t know how to express it, He Yujing teased, “You like them that much?”
Jiang Liusui nodded vigorously, then felt it wasn’t enough.
“Thank you.” In a spot where the cameras couldn’t capture them, Jiang Liusui took his hand and shook it playfully, like a spoiled child. “I really like them.”
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