Though the two who had arrived earlier had introduced themselves, they showed little interest in the new guy.
Rong Yongxin felt a bit awkward. He hadn’t expected the two men who got there before him to be so unresponsive—especially that guy named Yu Mo. As cold as his name implied. The other one, Xu Kangning, was slightly better, but judging from years of experience reading people, Rong Yongxin could already tell this one wasn’t going to be easy either.
And considering they were on camera, Rong Yongxin didn’t want to look like he was desperately trying to make friends with people who clearly weren’t interested.
After asking where to get drinking water, he headed to the kitchen. From the living room, Yu Mo and Xu Kangning could clearly hear the faucet running.
Soon after, Rong Yongxin came back with a tray of glasses, and then returned again carrying a pitcher of water.
Xu Kangning and Yu Mo exchanged a brief glance, then looked away.
Xu Kangning had walked in with a “young master” air about him—it was obvious he wasn’t the type to do favors for others. As for Yu Mo, he hadn’t expected anyone to take the initiative anyway. Even if he had, he wouldn’t be the one to break the trend.
Not long after, there was a knock at the door. A soft, sweet female voice called out, “Is anyone there? Could someone give me a hand, please?”
The three men inside all stood up the moment they heard that—especially once they realized the new arrival was a woman.
Rong Yongxin moved quickly and opened the door.
“Ah, thank goodness!” the woman said, relieved. “My suitcase is still outside and it’s kind of heavy. Could you help me bring it in?”
“Of course. Where is it?” Rong Yongxin asked.
She pointed toward the main gate of the villa.
From the living room, the other two could hear the man and woman chatting at the door—but neither made a move to go help.
“Why aren’t you going out to greet the new girl?” Yu Mo’s voice came out of nowhere, calm and even.
Xu Kangning looked up, surprised. He hadn’t expected Yu Mo to start a conversation with him.
“What for? Someone’s already out there. One guy’s enough, isn’t it?” Xu Kangning replied with feigned innocence.
It was just one woman, and judging by her voice, the delicate kind. The high-maintenance type that cried whenever things didn’t go her way. Xu Kangning had dealt with that before—his cousin was exactly like that. He wasn’t about to volunteer himself as another sucker.
Not long after, Rong Yongxin returned, wheeling in a suitcase alongside the newly arrived female guest.
“Thank you so much. That was a huge help,” she said with a gentle smile, clearly grateful.
She was graceful, delicate—her beauty understated but striking.
Rong Yongxin smiled back warmly. “No need to thank me. I’ll just leave your suitcase here for now—ours are here too. Once everyone arrives, we can move them inside together.”
Though she’d already noticed the three suitcases by the entryway, the woman still feigned surprise. “Oh? There are already three of you here?”
“Yes,” Rong Yongxin replied. “Come on, let me introduce you.”
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and smiled sweetly. “Hi, I’m Feng Ningran. It’s lovely to meet you all.”
“Hello. I’m Yu Mo,” Yu Mo said with his usual calm tone.
“I’m Xu Kangning,” Xu Kangning added, flashing her a smile. “Didn’t expect our female guest to be this pretty. It’s great to meet you.”
Yu Mo shot a sidelong glance at Xu Kangning, unimpressed with the flattery. Xu Kangning, however, caught the look and ignored it entirely.
Feng Ningran shifted her attention from Yu Mo to Xu Kangning. Though Xu Kangning’s words had a bit of a flirtatious edge, there was no denying that being complimented by an attractive man was flattering.
Her cheeks turned pink, and she lowered her gaze bashfully. “Thank you. You’re very handsome too.”
Xu Kangning chuckled softly, as if amused by her compliment.
Standing beside Feng Ningran, Rong Yongxin watched the exchange with a tightening expression. The smile on his face had started to freeze. It was as if there was no room for him in the subtle spark between Feng Ningran and Xu Kangning.
Perhaps wanting to come across as reserved and refined, Feng Ningran soon settled into a proper, upright posture on the couch, quietly waiting for the next guest to arrive.
……
Mu Fu drove herself to the location. She lived in a bustling downtown district, so getting to this suburban villa took her a bit more time.
She hadn’t brought much luggage—just enough that she could carry it all on her own. As she wheeled her suitcase up the path, those inside the house began to hear the noise.
Feng Ningran was the first to speak. “Oh, sounds like someone’s here! I think I heard a suitcase rolling.” She turned to Xu Kangning beside her. “Should we go check it out?”
“No need,” Xu Kangning said. “I think it’s probably another male guest. No need to greet them at the door. We can just welcome them from inside.”
At that moment, Rong Yongxin spoke up. “I’m a bit curious about the new guest. I’ll go take a look.”
“I’ll come too,” Feng Ningran chimed in, quickly following him.
Xu Kangning glanced at Yu Mo. So far, Yu Mo had barely made an impression—quiet and reserved, like the type who could sit alone in silence all day if no one talked to him. He gave off an aloof, distant vibe.
Right now, Yu Mo stood there with his head slightly lowered, lost in thought.
Xu Kangning didn’t dwell on it. He shifted his gaze to the entrance, wondering what kind of guest was arriving next. Every opening of that front door brought a little jolt of curiosity.
Plus… his ex hadn’t shown up yet.
His eyes lowered slightly. For some reason, the past few days had stirred up memories from three years ago—especially the ones involving Mu Fu.
He wondered… would she surprise him here in the villa?
Outside, the moment Feng Ningran stepped out, she spotted Mu Fu approaching slowly with a suitcase. Her expression faltered for a split second, but she quickly masked it with a smile before anyone noticed.
She hurried ahead of Rong Yongxin. “Ah, finally another female guest! Hello, hello—let me help you with that.”
“Hi, that’s okay. Thank you, but I can manage,” Mu Fu said with a polite smile.
Feng Ningran’s smile stiffened slightly at the response. If she didn’t know better, she might’ve thought Mu Fu was making a dig at her for needing a guy’s help with her luggage earlier.
“Hehe, no need to be so polite. Besides, we already have three male guests inside. It’s fine to ask them for help!”
Rong Yongxin stepped in. “I’ll help. I’m strong,” he said cheerfully, reaching over to take Mu Fu’s suitcase before she could stop him.
Mu Fu felt a bit overwhelmed by his eagerness. It would’ve looked awkward to insist on keeping it, so she let go and offered a sincere, “Thank you.”
Feng Ningran didn’t miss a beat—she wrapped an arm warmly around Mu Fu’s, her enthusiasm on full display. The sudden closeness threw Mu Fu off; she wasn’t used to such intimate gestures from strangers.
It wasn’t until they entered the villa that Mu Fu found a chance to gently slip her arm free under the excuse of needing to change into house slippers. She chose a pair of black ones—conveniently, the only pair left in that color.
As Mu Fu reached for the last remaining pair of black slippers, Feng Ningran said casually, “Did you know? Each color has two pairs here. The other large black pair is already being worn—by Yu Mo, one of the male guests who arrived earlier.”
When they were outside, Mu Fu had already exchanged names with both Feng Ningran and Rong Yongxin.
To the others, it probably just sounded like Ningran was filling Mu Fu in on the setup of the villa. But in truth, her comment was more calculated—subtly implying she was already quite familiar with this ‘Yu Mo.’
Mu Fu only smiled, not commenting on Feng Ningran’s tone or intention.
She looked up—and to her surprise, saw Xu Kangning standing there with a bright, easy smile on his face.
So, Xu Kangning was one of the other male guests Feng Ningran had mentioned earlier. And the man beside him… that must be Yu Mo.
Mu Fu’s first impression of Yu Mo was that he seemed distant—hard to approach. And sure enough, when he spoke, there was a chill in his demeanor.
“Hi. I’m Yu Mo,” he said simply.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Xu Kangning,” the other chimed in warmly.
Mu Fu didn’t even glance at Xu Kangning. She turned to Yu Mo with a gentle smile. “Hello, I’m Mu Fu—’Mu’ as in ‘herding cattle,’ and ‘Fu’ like the ‘fu’ in cream puff.”
Her smile carried a warmth so soft it felt like spring water flowing gently over the heart.
For a moment, something flickered across Yu Mo’s usually impassive face. “I’m Yu—as in ‘surname Yu,’ and ‘Mo’ as in desert,” he replied.
“I’ll remember that,” Mu Fu said with sincere earnestness.
Then Xu Kangning asked, teasingly, “Should I reintroduce myself, too?”
Mu Fu grinned. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
She had no intention of giving anyone the idea that she and Xu Kangning had known each other before.
After he repeated his name, she gave him a half-smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Got it.”
No one else seemed to pick up on anything unusual between the two—after all, Xu Kangning had been just as warm and enthusiastic toward Feng Ningran earlier.
But Yu Mo’s gaze lingered subtly on Xu Kangning. Something about his tone had felt… deliberate. As if he’d said his name again just for Mu Fu’s benefit. Was he trying to measure himself against Yu Mo somehow?
Yu Mo wasn’t sure. But he made a mental note to keep an eye on it.
Feng Ningran smiled politely, but behind that pleasant expression was a storm of bitter thoughts aimed straight at Mu Fu. She had a hunch from the beginning that she wouldn’t get along with the new girl—and sure enough, as soon as Mu Fu arrived, she instantly drew the attention of the two most desirable male contestants in the villa.
If she had to rank the guys, Feng Ningran would definitely place Xu Kangning at the top. Then Yu Mo, and finally Rong Yongxin.
Both Xu Kangning and Yu Mo were undeniably attractive, but Yu Mo was too aloof, too emotionally distant. Xu Kangning, on the other hand, was approachable and easy to talk to. As for Rong Yongxin—well, he was sweet, but not much to look at. And to be honest, Feng Ningran was all about looks.
Not long after Mu Fu arrived, the remaining three contestants showed up one after another.
First came Ding Binbing, a male contestant with a calm and mature demeanor. He was followed by the third female guest, Wu Qingyi, who spoke with clarity and carried herself with independence and confidence. The last to arrive was Xia Sihan, who seemed soft-spoken and gentle, her voice so quiet it felt like anything louder might startle her.
And with that, all eight contestants had officially gathered.
Just then, the production team handed out the villa’s house rules.
Axolotl Translations 
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