NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54 - Plans for the night
The icy seawater instantly enveloped them as they sank downward under gravity’s pull. All that could be heard was the pressure against their eardrums, as though time had come to a halt in that fleeting moment.
Tang Yuan wrapped her arms around Jiang Zi’s neck, pressing her lips to hers. But before the kiss could deepen, a sudden tug pulled Jiang Zi away.
Startled, Tang Yuan’s eyes widened as she clung to Jiang Zi like an ornament dangling off her.
Moments later, the staff pulled them out of the water with the rescue line.
“Are you both okay? Come on, get over here!”
Tang Yuan squinted, the blurry world around her gradually coming into focus. She stayed close to Jiang Zi as they swam to the inflatable boat. It was only a short two-meter swim, and the staff quickly drove the boat to the shore.
After their impromptu dive, both of them were drenched. Their clothes clung tightly to their bodies.
Jiang Zi’s outfit—a black fitted tank top paired with wide-leg cargo pants—didn’t look too different wet. But Tang Yuan, wearing a light blue and white top with a white skirt that had a thin lining, found her soaked clothing far more revealing.
Jiang Zi wrung out the hem of Tang Yuan’s shirt, squeezing out the water. As she worked, Tang Yuan suddenly let out a laugh.
Jiang Zi glanced up at her. “What’s so funny?”
“I’m just happy,” Tang Yuan replied innocently, reaching up to wipe a drop of water from Jiang Zi’s cheek. “But, uh… we don’t have any dry clothes. What should we do?”
Jiang Zi’s gaze lowered to Tang Yuan’s chest, where her wet shirt clung, faintly revealing the pink and white undergarment beneath. Her eyes darkened as she instinctively tugged the fabric away in an attempt to loosen it from Tang Yuan’s skin. But as soon as she let go, it clung back immediately.
Her gaze swept downwards. Fortunately, the skirt’s lining provided enough coverage to avoid anything too revealing.
A staff member approached with a bouquet of roses. “Here’s your reward for completing the task. But what happened? How’d you both end up in the water at the end?”
Jiang Zi stood before Tang Yuan, shielding her from view as she accepted the flowers. “Thanks.”
“You can now move on to the next task if you’d like. But first, there’s a changing room nearby with some dry clothes prepared by the crew.”
The two quickly changed into fresh clothes and went on to complete the second task, which, thankfully, was much simpler and only took half an hour.
By the time they finished, it was nearly 7 PM. The three groups participating in the water park challenge completed their tasks almost simultaneously, rushing to the final destination. The journey wasn’t short, and exhaustion from the earlier tasks made it even harder. By the time they reached the endpoint, Meng Yao’er’s group had been penalized, losing a rose from their total count.
“All four groups have arrived! Now, it’s time for our guests to relax. Food and accommodations must be exchanged for roses. You’ll find all the exchange rates posted on the announcement board. Enjoy your evening!”
“No rankings?” Deng Peiluo asked, expecting the roses to determine standings and rewards like food or lodging.
“None at all. At ‘Love Every Day’, we focus on creating a relaxed atmosphere for our guests. To avoid unnecessary disputes, we never use rankings.”
With that, the director left the group to enjoy their free time.
Tang Yuan, clutching a teddy bear in her arms, joined Jiang Zi in counting their total of 22 roses.
Once they tallied their “wealth,” they went to check the “prices.” On the board, half was dedicated to a menu of food items, while the other half listed themed hotel rooms.
Tang Yuan’s jaw dropped as her gaze landed on the top listing: a luxurious romantic suite priced at 20 roses. “What?! That costs 20?!”
She then glanced at what food they could afford after splurging on the suite. Her eyes traveled to the bottom of the menu: plain steamed buns, two roses apiece.
“This is robbery! The director is a total scammer!” Tang Yuan exclaimed, utterly floored. Deng Peiluo, reading alongside her, was equally horrified.
Meanwhile, regular cast members like Ling Jun, Jie Xin, and Qi Hongqiao, already accustomed to the crew’s antics, didn’t bat an eye.
Meng Yao’er, however, wasn’t paying attention to the prices. Her eyes were locked on Jiang Zi and Tang Yuan. Splitting her flowers in half, she handed one bundle to Qi Hongqiao before heading their way.
“YuanYuan, baby, how about I join your team? I’ve got ten roses here.”
“We’re all girls, right? The single suite is roomy enough for all of us, and we’d even have enough left for a decent meal. What do you think?”
Jiang Zi didn’t bother hiding her disdain and wariness toward Meng Yao’er. “Not interested. We have plans for the night.”
Hearing the phrase “plans for the night,” Meng Yao’er’s eyes lit up with an unnerving excitement. She nodded enthusiastically. “Night plans? Perfect! The three of us can spend it together!”
【Unbearable! If she keeps this up, I’m calling the cops!】
【She’s so creepy, I just want to punch something. Why can’t I reach through the screen?!】
【Is she serious or joking? How does someone build this kind of persona on camera?】
【Us JiangTang fans have a different focus. Our queen said “night plans”! LOL!】
【Insert meme: Both their lips swollen from kissing.jpg】
Tang Yuan fixed her with a serious look, her tone sincere. “Miss Meng, you should really see a doctor. You can’t keep avoiding treatment—it’s scary for others.”
Meng Yao’er wasn’t upset by the remark; in fact, it was as if it hit one of her weak spots. She bashfully leaned closer to Tang Yuan.
Jiang Zi’s eyes flared with genuine irritation. Without giving Meng Yao’er the chance to approach, she grabbed her arm and flung her away.
Caught off guard, Meng Yao’er stumbled backward and fell against Qi Hongqiao.
Rubbing her aching arm, she looked at Jiang Zi with a pitiful expression, her eyes filled with grievance.
“I don’t care what your intentions are. If you dare act all crazy and clueless again…” Jiang Zi glanced up at the nearby camera, cutting her words short. However, the glare she shot at Meng Yao’er was sharp enough to pierce.
【The camera zooms in for a close-up. Sister Jiang, tone it down with the murderous look, so scary.】
【I’m just eating, this has nothing to do with me.】
【I’m watching a movie with my husband. I’m not the one seducing your wife!】
【Forget Jiang Zi; what’s Meng Yao’er doing? Ditching the green tea act for a psycho route?】
【Actually, I just want to know—was Meng Yao’er always this unhinged?】
Tang Yuan looped her arm through Jiang Zi’s, her tone gentle. “Sister, let’s not bother with her anymore. I’m starving. Let’s see what we can eat and where we’ll stay.”
Jiang Zi pulled herself out of her thoughts and asked warmly, “What do you want to eat?”
Tang Yuan shifted her gaze to the menu, focusing on the lavish yet pricey options.
“We just need a bed to sleep, but eating? That’s non-negotiable.”
She pointed to the third set meal on the list. “How about this? Dai-style hand-grab rice—it looks good. It’s 18 roses, so there are six left. Let’s check the accommodations next.”
Scanning the list of oddly named themed rooms, she finally found one that matched the price range.
“Snake Shadows on the Wall Experience Room?”
Tang Yuan turned to Jiang Zi with a curious look. “Sister, are you afraid of snakes?”
Jiang Zi, who retained memories of her cultivation world, had seen her fair share of grotesque creatures. She replied, “No.”
Tang Yuan nodded. “I doubt the production team would put actual snakes in there. Close my eyes and sleep—it won’t scare me.”
Having made up their minds, they chose the luxurious meal package.