NOVEL NEXT Chapter 51 - Toying
The rose was tucked into the small pocket on the bear’s belly, and they set off once more.
Jiang Zi remained on the back seat of the bicycle, but this time, she sat even closer—so close that she was practically glued to Tang Yuan’s back. That soft sensation pressed against her, leaving no space in between.
Burying her face in Tang Yuan’s hair, Jiang Zi’s eyes glimmered with a touch of obsession. ‘So fragrant.’
Tang Yuan focused solely on pedaling, oblivious to Jiang Zi’s little actions. The road ahead stretched uninterrupted, with no new task markers stopping them. Forty minutes had passed.
Tang Yuan’s effortful pedaling had grown more labored, her breathing now audible. Jiang Zi, nestled against the back of her neck, couldn’t help but find her rhythm syncing with Tang Yuan’s steady breaths. On an impulse, she nuzzled against Tang Yuan’s neck.
“Stop it,” Tang Yuan huffed, her voice carrying a hint of breathlessness.
“Little Tang Yuan,” Jiang Zi’s voice was husky.
Tang Yuan caught the change in her tone and immediately assumed the lemon juice had done a number on Jiang Zi’s throat.
Her pedaling faltered for a moment, the bike slowing down. “Don’t call me.”
Her tone came out a little stiff, almost awkward.
Up ahead, they finally spotted someone in a red vest waving at them. Another group was stopped there as well.
It was Ling Jun and Xiu Lu Zhou.
The two were passionately kissing.
Tang Yuan hit the brakes with her foot, staring in disbelief at the pair who seemed utterly unaware of anyone else around them.
She turned to the staff. “Uh… what task is this supposed to be?”
“Oh, their task is already done, but they failed. The punishment is to kiss passionately for three minutes. If they accept the punishment and last the full three minutes, they’ll still earn a rose.”
Tang Yuan’s lips twitched slightly. “Wait… that’s allowed?”
Jiang Zi’s eyes lit up for a brief moment at the explanation but quickly dimmed again, tinged with regret.
‘Guess I promised too early.’
‘We could’ve kissed openly if we lost.’
“What’s the task here?”
The pair finally broke apart. Ling Jun tidied her messy hair, her lips still glistening. When she saw Tang Yuan and Jiang Zi arrive, she didn’t look the least bit embarrassed. Instead, she confidently introduced the task.
“The task we drew was to perform a two-person Latin dance. My ‘little brother’ here doesn’t know how to dance, so he opted to take the punishment instead.”
Still catching her breath, Ling Jun’s voice carried a sugary allure, teasingly provocative. She playfully tapped Xiu Lu Zhou’s cheek with her finger. “Not bad, little brother. Your kissing skills are pretty good.”
Outside of acting, Xiu Lu Zhou had never experienced something so bold—especially with the live cameras capturing everything. His ears turned red as he bashfully avoided responding.
Ling Jun, arm hooked around Xiu Lu Zhou’s, accepted the rose handed to her by the staff. “Thank you~”
She brought the rose to her nose, taking a deep whiff of its scent, her mood visibly lifted. “Well then, we’ll head out first. Bye-bye!”
“Bye-bye.”
As they watched the pair ride off, the staff pulled a task card from the bundle of roses. It wasn’t Latin dancing.
The new task was to pose for ten couple-themed photos.
Jiang Zi’s disappointment was palpable. If it had been dancing, she could have claimed ignorance and gone straight to the punishment.
Still, posing as a couple… that wasn’t too bad either.
The staff pointed toward the live camera. “The camera for the photos is over here. As long as the staff confirms you’ve hit the required number, the task will be considered complete. No time limit.”
Tang Yuan didn’t take it seriously at all. “That’s easy—let’s get it done quickly.”
Jiang Zi leaned closer, her hand sliding to Tang Yuan’s arm as she lowered her gaze and asked, “Can I hold you?”
“Sure!” Tang Yuan agreed without hesitation, spreading her arms wide in expectation of a hug.
Instead, Jiang Zi placed her hands firmly on Tang Yuan’s waist and lifted her off the ground.
Startled, Tang Yuan let out a sharp cry, instinctively wrapping her arms around Jiang Zi’s head and pulling it into her chest. Her legs quickly found their place, locking around Jiang Zi’s waist.
Jiang Zi, content with the result, adjusted her grip into a more secure embrace, one hand supporting Tang Yuan’s legs to keep her steady.
The flash of the camera accompanied by the click of the shutter signaled the completion of their first photo.
Tang Yuan, now fully aware of her situation, flushed red—whether from embarrassment or the scare, she wasn’t sure. “Jiang Zi!”
Jiang Zi was utterly captivated by her smell. Even her tone of reproach sounded like a playful whine to her ears. She softly reassured her, “Don’t be scared. I won’t let you fall.”
To ease Tang Yuan’s discomfort, Jiang Zi tilted her head up to meet her gaze. “You can pose however you like on me.”
Tang Yuan glanced down, and from this angle…
The rosy hue of Tang Yuan’s face deepened instantly, her flush even sweeter than the fragrance of ripe lychees that Jiang Zi inhaled. Yet before she could indulge in the temptation to linger, Tang Yuan shifted her posture. She leaned back slightly, no longer clinging to Jiang Zi’s head or pressing her face against hers. Instead, she straightened up to strike a pose for the camera, her arms spread wide in graceful elegance.
Jiang Zi discreetly licked her lips, now dry again, her mind wandering.
‘When… When can I hold her like this openly, without pretense?’
The photographer clicked away, capturing four or five shots of their embrace before Tang Yuan tapped Jiang Zi’s shoulder, signaling to be let down. She seemed flustered, her legs trembling slightly. Even though she wasn’t exerting any effort herself, a peculiar weakness had overtaken her, compelling her to demand a reprieve.
Jiang Zi relented, her smile softening. She could see the rising blush creeping across Tang Yuan’s cheeks and felt a selfish urge to keep her adorable reactions all to herself—not to share them with the streaming audience or anyone else.
As soon as Tang Yuan touched the ground, she thought the worst was over. But Jiang Zi only grew bolder, wrapping her arms around Tang Yuan from behind. She rested her head on Tang Yuan’s shoulder, brushing aside her hair to reveal the smooth nape of her neck. Without hesitation, Jiang Zi pressed her cool lips against it, eliciting a delightful shiver.
“Jiang Zi…”
“Hm?” Jiang Zi replied with mock innocence. “Just posing for the photos.”
Tang Yuan barely made it through the session. Her senses were in disarray, her entire body tingling from the intimate gestures—subtle, restrained, yet utterly overwhelming. When the staff finally announced their success, and the rose was handed to her, she took a moment to compose herself. Only then did she truly return to her senses.
She glared at Jiang Zi, her misty eyes brimming with reproach, though her delicate pout lacked any real bite.
Walking back to the bicycle, Tang Yuan forcefully placed the rose in the basket, her motions dripping with frustration. “You’re impossible! Toying with me like this.”
“That wasn’t toying,” Jiang Zi said, trailing closely behind her.
From behind, all Jiang Zi could see was Tang Yuan’s stubbornly turned head, her back stiff with irritation. She reached out, gently smoothing the windblown strands of Tang Yuan’s hair.
Tang Yuan, still bristling like an agitated kitten, refused to acknowledge her.
Jiang Zi finally conceded with a soft chuckle. “Alright, alright. It was a bit much. Next time, I promise I won’t tease you like that in front of others.”
Tang Yuan plopped herself onto the backseat of the bike, puffing out her cheeks as she glared at Jiang Zi again. “Ride. Now.”
Her eyes narrowed. “And what’s this about ‘in front of others’? You shouldn’t act like this even in private!”
Jiang Zi obediently climbed onto the bike, taking Tang Yuan’s hands and guiding them to wrap around her waist. She said nothing in response, her sly smile hidden. After all, if she admitted to any restraint in private, how could she ever savor moments like these?
Tang Yuan, assuming her silence signaled compliance, relaxed. Her arms held Jiang Zi’s waist loosely, and she refrained from leaning against her back. They rode on in quiet contentment, enjoying the refreshing breeze brushing past them.
But then, Tang Yuan’s mind wandered, recalling the mutual selection phase and the video clips they’d been shown. She thought about Jiang Zi’s brief interview, how she had spoken sparingly, avoiding elaboration.
When asked why she had chosen Tang Yuan, Jiang Zi had given a simple answer.
“I like her.”
Like?
“Jiang Zi, what exactly are we now?”