It was pretty clear now: Feng Ningran and Rong Yongxin were a couple. Mu Fu realized her earlier guess had been wrong. That little burst of jealousy she showed just now made it obvious.
The way Feng Ningran reacted when Rong Yongxin stuck up for Xia Sihan—the frustration, the possessiveness—it was impossible they hadn’t been together before.
As for Xia Sihan, Mu Fu suspected it might be Ding Binbing. He had already shown a lot of interest in her when they were figuring out who would cook. And now he’d followed her to the supermarket without a second thought. All of it suggested he cared about her.
Still, she could be wrong. Maybe it was just love at first sight. She’d have to wait and see what happened between them.
Mu Fu sneaked a look at Yu Mo. She found herself curious now—who had his ex-girlfriend been? What kind of girl had he once fallen for?
After the earlier drama settled down, the villa became quiet again.
Mu Fu felt a bit awkward. She had never been alone in a room with a man she barely knew.
After thinking for a second, she turned to Yu Mo and said, “Should we go wash the dishes and kitchen stuff? No idea when they’ll be back.”
Yu Mo nodded. “Alright.”
Even though he looked fancy, almost like royalty, he worked with clean, quick movements. You’d never guess he was the type to do chores.
Mu Fu was only about 160 centimeters tall, and next to him, she looked especially small—he was a full head taller than her.
But once they started working, the awkwardness came back. They stayed silent the whole time, heads down, not saying much at all.
Glancing up at the tall man next to her, Mu Fu hesitated, then quietly asked, “Yu Mo, how tall are you?”
“Hmm? 185,” he replied, looking at her. She had seemed like she had something important to say, but it turned out to be about his height.
Mu Fu couldn’t help but be amazed. “That’s so tall. You’re twenty-five centimeters taller than me.”
From where he stood, he could only see the top of her head. She had tied her long, silky hair back to keep it out of the way while they worked, though a few strands still playfully swayed near her ears.
“You’re still growing,” he said calmly. “Eat well, drink milk.”
She looked so small, like she could still be eighteen or nineteen. There was still room to grow.
Mu Fu smiled, her lips curving softly. His words had actually made her feel better. “Thank you.”
She thought to herself: Yu Mo isn’t nearly as cold as he looks.
Mu Fu’s impression of him had changed quite a bit.
With a pleasant start between them, the conversation soon began to flow naturally.
She asked, “Are you hungry?”
“I’m okay,” Yu Mo replied.
Mu Fu pressed her lips together shyly. “I thought we’d get lunch as soon as we got here… but I guess the show didn’t prepare anything for us.”
Yu Mo hadn’t expected her to be so innocent. On the first day of a dating show, it made sense for the producers to push everyone to bond—having them cook together was the perfect way to break the ice.
For once, he took the initiative. “I’ll go check what’s in the fridge.”
The fridge was on Mu Fu’s side, so Yu Mo had to walk around her. As he passed by, she caught a faint whiff of his cologne—clean and woodsy, like pine. The scent was subtle, matching him perfectly: cool and composed. If she hadn’t been so close, she wouldn’t have noticed it at all.
Snapping out of her daze, Mu Fu followed him toward the fridge. Standing beside him, she asked curiously, “Is there anything to eat in there?”
“Five eggs.”
“That’s it? Did you check the bottom section?”
Disappointed, Mu Fu crouched down with him to take a better look. Yu Mo bent at the knees, while Mu Fu fully squatted beside him.
And then—accident.
Mu Fu was too close, and as Yu Mo opened the fridge door, it smacked right into her forehead. Her face turned ghostly pale, completely drained of color. Large teardrops rolled down her cheeks one by one. Everything blurred before her eyes.
She clutched her forehead tightly, as if pressing down on it would ease the pain. It hurt so badly, she felt like she might pass out—even though only a few seconds had passed, it felt much longer to her.
Yu Mo’s brows furrowed as he quickly moved her hand away. Her fair forehead had already swollen and reddened.
“Are you dizzy?” he asked, his voice tight with guilt. The sound of the impact had been loud and jarring. He hadn’t meant for it to happen, but he still felt responsible.
After a while, Mu Fu seemed a little better. She sniffled softly, her voice trembling through her tears. “No dizziness… it just really hurts.”
Mu Fu was crying like a delicate flower caught in the rain—it was heartbreaking to see.
Yu Mo gently pressed the swollen spot on her forehead.
Mu Fu winced. “Tss…”
“I’ll get some ice. You need to put something cold on it to reduce the swelling,” he said.
He helped her over to the living room sofa and had her sit down, then went to the kitchen. Luckily, the fridge had some small ice cubes ready. Realizing he didn’t have a towel, he quickly headed to the bedroom. He had brought a few just in case, and now they were coming in handy.
“Here, sit still. I’ll hold it for you.” His voice was unusually soft—steady and comforting.
After resting for a while, Mu Fu had calmed down. “I can do it,” she said quietly. “It wasn’t your fault. Really, I shouldn’t have leaned in so close.”
Yu Mo frowned slightly. “Just relax. I’ve got it.” Without another word, he gently placed the towel-wrapped ice on her forehead.
“Ah—so cold,” Mu Fu gasped. The icy chill cut through the dull ache in her head. It stung at first, then numbed. Instinctively, she tilted her head back, trying to escape the cold press.
Yu Mo, watching her closely, noticed right away. He placed a steady hand on her shoulder, gently pulling her back.
“Don’t move,” he said firmly, his tone cool but calm. “Keep it there for thirty minutes. It’ll help.”
Wearing his round, gold-rimmed glasses, Yu Mo gave off an air of distant elegance—aloof, almost untouchable.
Realizing she couldn’t talk her way out of it, Mu Fu sat quietly, cheeks a little pink, trying to look composed.
What she didn’t see was the faint smile playing at the corners of Yu Mo’s mouth.
After a while, once the ice had started to melt, he asked, “Still hurting?”
Mu Fu shook her head gently. “It’s okay now. It doesn’t really hurt anymore. Aren’t your hands tired?”
“I’m fine,” he replied calmly. “I brought some Yunnan herbal spray. Come upstairs with me.”
A warm feeling seemed to spread through her chest. “Okay.”
It was the first time she had stepped into the male guests’ side since they had moved in.
Mu Fu hesitated in the doorway. “I’ll just wait outside…”
Yu Mo glanced back. “Come in,” he said softly. “There’s nothing in here I’m hiding.”
Mu Fu gave him a shy glance. “Okay.”
“Make yourself comfortable,” Yu Mo said, then turned to dig through his suitcase; he hadn’t taken the medicine out yet.
There weren’t any chairs in Yu Mo’s room, so Mu Fu sat on the edge of the bed, near the door.
“Yu Mo, who are you sharing a room with?”
“Ding Binbing.”
“Oh,” Mu Fu murmured, lowering her head to stare at the tips of her shoes, gently swinging her feet.
“Found it.” Yu Mo held up the spray bottle and checked the label. “The smell might be a bit strong. Try to bear with it.”
He gently tilted Mu Fu’s chin. As soon as he moved closer, her hands clenched the bedsheet beneath her, and she didn’t know where to look.
“It’s easier to apply the medicine if you tilt your head up.”
“Uh-huh,” she nodded quickly, wanting the moment to pass as soon as possible. Lost in the awkwardness of it all, she barely registered what he was saying.
The skin beneath Yu Mo’s fingers turned a soft pink, but he remained calm and composed. “Close your eyes,” he said evenly.
Mu Fu quickly obeyed.
Her lashes fluttered slightly. From this angle, Yu Mo noticed how long they were—like delicate blades curving gently, brushing against the heart.
A faint herbal scent filled the air. Then a warm palm pressed gently against her forehead, slowly rubbing the ointment in. Her lashes trembled furiously. That was Yu Mo’s hand!
When he’d lifted her chin earlier, she’d thought his fingers felt cool and smooth, almost like jade. She had assumed it was just her imagination, but now, with his palm on her skin, she was sure—it was just the way his body was.
That explains it, she thought. No wonder his complexion was so pale. Maybe he wasn’t in the best health…
Looking at him again, a faint trace of concern flickered in her eyes.
Once the medicine was applied, Mu Fu returned to her room. Yu Mo handed her the spray to take with her.
After she left, Yu Mo looked down at the hand he had just used to gently rub the ointment into her skin. His fingers, just as she imagined—cool, slender, and refined like polished jade—spread slightly, then curled inward and slowly came together in a soft, thoughtful motion.
Yu Mo’s head was down, hiding his face. Even his usually bright eyes looked dim, shadowy, and hard to read.
Mu Fu had just laid down when she heard a knock at the door. Since only she and Yu Mo were home, it was obvious who it was.
She blinked, her voice soft and curious. “What is it?” A gentle, sweet smile appeared on her face—so charming it could melt anyone’s heart.
Yu Mo held out a row of band-aids in his palm. “If you feel awkward about your face being visible, you can use these. They’re just the basic kind, but I’ll get you other types tomorrow.”
Warmth bloomed in Mu Fu’s chest. Her face lit up with the brightest smile he’d seen from her yet. “No need! I can just pick some up myself tomorrow.”
“I work right next to a pharmacy,” Yu Mo replied.
Mu Fu hesitated, then gave a small nod, unable to say no. “Then… thank you. I’ll pay you back once you get home.” She sneaked a glance at his expression.
What she didn’t realize was that Yu Mo had been watching her the whole time. The moment their eyes met, she instantly looked away, flustered and shy.
A faint smile tugged at Yu Mo’s lips, but it quickly faded when she mentioned money. “There’s no need,” he said. “Consider it an apology.”
Mu Fu exhaled softly in relief. So that was why he was being so thoughtful. No wonder he’d been taking such careful care of her.
Not wanting him to feel guilty any longer, she decided to drop the matter entirely.
Their plan to cook lunch was abandoned because of Mu Fu’s injury. When hunger finally got the better of them, they ordered takeout. After nearly two hours of waiting and fussing, they finally sat down to eat.
Later, when the rest of the group returned from the supermarket, they found Mu Fu curled up on the couch reading, three band-aids plastered across her forehead. In the kitchen, Yu Mo quietly washed the leftover dishes.
Feng Ningran was the first to step inside. Her gaze flicked between them before she loudly exclaimed, “Mu Fu! What happened to you? You weren’t hurt earlier!”
The way she said it—like Mu Fu had injured herself just to attract attention—hung heavy in the air.
Axolotl Translations 
Leave a comment