The moment Feng Ningran finished speaking, tears instantly welled up in Xia Sihan’s eyes and spilled over. Her face turned pale, her expression fragile and pitiful—enough to stir sympathy in anyone watching.
“I didn’t…” she whispered.
Rong Yongxin’s face darkened. “Ningran, have you caused enough trouble? Come upstairs with me!” Without waiting for a response, he grabbed her arm and started pulling her away.
Feng Ningran tried to break free, but no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn’t shake off his grip.
With her eyes rimmed in red, she looked at Rong Yongxin. She had once loved this man. They had been inseparable, and even after their breakup, he still treated her like a friend. She had thought that joining the show together, even if it didn’t rekindle their romance, would at least preserve their bond.
But now, this man was shouting at her—for a woman he’d only known for two days.
Her heart felt like it had been plunged into a frozen lake—numb and bitterly cold. She didn’t even realize she was crying, but her makeup had already started to run.
Then, completely disregarding the show’s no-drama rule, she burst out with the truth about her past with Rong Yongxin, right in front of everyone.
“Rong Yongxin! You’re yelling at me for a woman you’ve barely known for two days? What’s so special about her that all of you are lining up to defend her?!”
Seeing Feng Ningran’s devastated expression, Mu Fu felt a pang of sympathy.
She stepped forward and pried their hands apart. “Rong Yongxin, what’s wrong with you? Ever heard of being a gentleman?”
A bright red mark encircled Feng Ningran’s wrist—clear proof of how hard he had been gripping her.
The look Mu Fu gave him—like she was staring at a complete scumbag—snapped him back to his senses.
Just moments ago, seeing Xia Sihan looking so delicate and helpless had stirred something in him. That trusting gaze of hers had awakened a desire to protect her. In that flash of emotion, his reason had crumbled. He had wanted to play the hero.
“I… Ningran, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to use so much force,” he mumbled.
“I don’t ever want to see you again!” Feng Ningran sobbed and ran off.
Mu Fu gave Rong Yongxin one last glance—he was still frozen in place—then resolutely turned to follow Feng Ningran. She was worried about what the girl might do.
Seeing Mu Fu go upstairs, Yu Mo quietly followed.
And just like that, only three people remained on the first floor.
Rong Yongxin had feelings for Xia Sihan, that much was clear—but he wasn’t ready to let go of Feng Ningran either. Now, with everything spiraling out of control, all he could do was hold his pounding head.
After watching Feng Ningran run off in tears, Rong Yongxin realized he needed to act fast to fix the awkward tension between them. He had to maintain the good impression she had of him. If he offered a sincere apology with an expensive gift, he believed she’d eventually forgive him.
So when Wu Qingyi returned, the kitchen was quiet—aside from the sounds of cooking, the usual cheerful chatter had completely disappeared.
“I’ll go upstairs and change, then come back down to help,” Wu Qingyi said.
Xia Sihan waved it off. “No need, it’s almost done. Just come down to eat once you’ve changed. Oh—and could you let everyone upstairs know it’s time for dinner? We won’t go up.”
“Sure.” Wu Qingyi, though a little miffed that no one else had come down to help, didn’t say anything. Since the ones actually doing the work didn’t seem to mind, there was no point in complaining.
She first went to inform the male guests. As usual, Yu Mo responded politely, “Got it. Thanks.”
Wu Qingyi smiled. “No problem. I’ll let Rong Yongxin know too.”
Rong Yongxin answered the door quickly, but something was clearly off. His normally immaculate hair was a mess, and the crisp dress shirt he’d worn out earlier was now wrinkled. Judging by the look of him, he’d been back for a while but hadn’t even bothered to change.
Wu Qingyi quietly took note. Something must’ve happened here while I was gone.
“Yongxin, dinner’s almost ready. You can come down now.”
“Alright, thanks.” His tone was noticeably cold—nowhere near the warm, friendly one they’d shared that morning.
Still, Wu Qingyi kept her smile steady. “Just passing along the message. I’ll head back now.”
“Thanks,” he said again, more distantly this time. He wasn’t in the mood to flirt or even make small talk with any of the female guests.
After leaving Rong Yongxin’s room, Wu Qingyi headed toward Mu Fu and Feng Ningran’s room. Even before she reached the door, she could hear soft sobbing, accompanied by angry muttering. It was Feng Ningran’s voice. Wu Qingyi couldn’t make out the exact words, but she could definitely hear the pain in her tone.
She knocked gently. “Mind if I come in?”
A voice quickly replied, “Come in.”
Inside, she saw Feng Ningran, who hadn’t yet washed her face. Her eyes were red and puffy—clearly, she’d just been crying.
“What happened?” Wu Qingyi asked gently. “Who made our Ningran upset?”
“That bastard Rong Yongxin!” Feng Ningran snapped, furious.
Mu Fu, relieved to see Feng Ningran had finally stopped crying, quietly exhaled. The others might not realize how long she’d been comforting her—or how long they’d spent cursing out Rong Yongxin together before Feng Ningran could finally calm down.
If she hadn’t mentioned that Xu Kangning gave flowers to Xia Sihan, Feng Ningran probably wouldn’t have reacted so irrationally. The confrontation—although entirely one-sided—wouldn’t have happened. Mu Fu felt a flicker of guilt. Just a little. Otherwise, she would’ve made an excuse to leave ages ago.
Now that Wu Qingyi was here, Mu Fu figured she could step aside and let her take over. Feng Ningran had cooled down, her common sense returning. There was no need to keep hovering.
Wu Qingyi gently wrapped her arms around Feng Ningran and spoke in a soothing voice, “What did Rong Yongxin do to upset you this time?”
Feng Ningran pouted angrily. “He yelled at me because of Xia Sihan! I’m done liking him. Seriously.”
So that’s what it was. No wonder Rong Yongxin had been acting so off just now.
Now that she had the full picture, Wu Qingyi knew exactly how to steer the conversation.
“Then don’t like him anymore,” she said lightly. “There are still three other guys in this villa, aren’t there?”
“And even if none of them are a match for you, that doesn’t mean your perfect guy isn’t out there somewhere else. Ningran, you’re gorgeous—if he can’t see that, it’s his loss.”
……
Once Feng Ningran had calmed down, Wu Qingyi let both of them know that dinner was ready.
Reinvigorated, Feng Ningran shot up and ran to the bathroom to fix her makeup. She was determined to make a grand entrance—no way was she letting Xia Sihan get the last laugh!
Mu Fu and Wu Qingyi exchanged a look and smiled wryly. Some things never changed.
Maybe it was the earlier clash, but dinnertime was unusually quiet. The only sounds were the soft clinking of utensils and the occasional bite.
After the meal, everyone gathered in the living room.
Mu Fu walked over to Yu Mo. “Mind if I sit here?”
“Sure. It’s not like the spot belongs to me.”
Of course it didn’t—it was a shared space—but if he hadn’t wanted her near him, what would be the point?
She sat beside him, and when he didn’t object, Mu Fu couldn’t help but smile quietly to herself.
Soon, the staff brought in tonight’s mission card.
Mission: Tonight is a time for honesty. Each of the eight guests may now reveal their profession and age.
The mood in the room began to shift. The ice started to melt. Earlier, the tense standoff between Feng Ningran and the others had everyone walking on eggshells—but now, finally, things began to feel a little more relaxed.
Only Mu Fu and Yu Mo, the two bystanders in this whole drama, were sitting quietly, joined by Wu Qingyi, who hadn’t witnessed the earlier events and seemed as composed as ever.
Although Xu Kangning had gotten dragged into the mess by accident, he was noticeably quieter than usual too.
All in all, the timing of the mission card couldn’t have been better—it helped break the tension that had been hanging in the air throughout the villa.
Wu Qingyi glanced around and offered with a calm smile, “I’ll go first. You can try guessing what I do for work. I’ll give you a little hint—it has something to do with numbers.”
Feng Ningran perked up immediately. “Are you a math teacher?” There was something about Qingyi’s demeanor—confident, commanding—that gave off teacher vibes.
Wu Qingyi laughed and shook her head. “Nope, not quite.”
Xu Kangning chimed in, “Then… a data analyst?”
Wu Qingyi giggled, clearly amused. “I wish I were that impressive! Okay, here’s the answer: I’m currently working as an accountant at a publicly listed company. I’m 27.”
Xia Sihan gave her an admiring look. “That’s amazing, Qingyi. I get a headache just thinking about math.”
“It’s not that bad once you’re used to it,” Wu Qingyi replied modestly. “How about this—I’ll choose the next person to go. And we’ll keep going that way, with each person picking the next one.”
Everyone agreed that sounded like a fun way to keep things moving.
Wu Qingyi’s gaze drifted around the group. After a pause that made everyone just a bit nervous, she finally said, “Rong Yongxin, you’re up. I’m really curious about you.”
Rong Yongxin had already returned to his usual calm and gentlemanly self.
He smiled and said, “Alright, take a guess—what do you think I do for a living?”
This time, Feng Ningran stayed quiet and didn’t join in the guessing.
Xia Sihan looked over with interest. “Are you an entrepreneur?”
Rong Yongxin shook his head. “Nope.”
Xu Kangning asked, “Is it finance-related?”
Rong Yongxin gave him a brief glance and nodded. “That’s right. My job is in the financial sector.”
Wu Qingyi added, “Are you a senior executive at a finance company?”
Rong Yongxin smiled. “Exactly. I’m currently the general manager at a financial firm. I’m 30.”
Xia Sihan’s eyes glimmered. “Wow, Brother Yongxin, that’s really impressive. You’ve accomplished so much at such a young age.”
Rong Yongxin clearly enjoyed the admiration shining in Xia Sihan’s eyes. He responded with a warm, agreeable smile, not bothering to deny her praise.
After a pause, he turned toward Xu Kangning and smiled. “Kangning, you’re up next.”
But while his lips curved politely, the smile never reached his eyes.
Xu Kangning met his gaze calmly and said casually, “Sure. Want a hint?”
Rong Yongxin cut in, “No need. You’re a rich second-gen, right?” His tone made it clear he wasn’t asking.
Xu Kangning gave a small nod. “That’s right. The textbook kind, in fact.”
Rong Yongxin raised an eyebrow. “So, are you working at the family business or pursuing other… interests?”
No one else chimed in; they could all tell Rong Yongxin had zeroed in on Xu Kangning.
Yet Xu Kangning didn’t flinch under the curious stares. He stayed cool and collected, unbothered.
“Neither. Currently, I’m unemployed—just enjoying life.”
Rong Yongxin gave a low chuckle, as if he’d just scored a point. “Must be nice. Just lounging around at home—Gen Z’s favorite lifestyle.”
Xu Kangning nodded, unfazed. “Better than slaving away for a measly paycheck.”
Rong Yongxin’s smile tightened. “A paycheck, however small, is still earned through one’s own efforts. Unlike those who just live off their parents. And for the record, I’m not surviving on a salary—my company shares alone are enough to fund my lifestyle.”
Axolotl Translations 
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