The Love Reality Show's Big Boss and Little Sweetie - Chapter 23

Mu Chi watched, bewildered, as Qi Liao swam a single lap around the pool in the butterfly stroke. His first words upon emerging from the water were, “Put on your clothes.”

“Huh?”

Qi Liao’s excuse was lame. “There are cameras all around the villa. You don’t want to be seen naked, do you?”

Mu Chi: “…I’m a man. What am I afraid of?”

“I said put it on, so put it on,” Qi Liao commanded.

Mu Chi went to pick up his shirt. While it didn’t affect his swimming speed, it was still not as comfortable as being naked in the water. He asked frustratedly, “Why?”

Qi Liao couldn’t explain; he simply felt compelled to do so, or else something would feel off.

“Your skin is too pale. It’s blinding.” Qi Liao said, ending the conversation. “Are you still learning backstroke?”

Mu Chi’s annoyance immediately vanished, and he dressed and came over. “Of course I am. Ge will teach me.”

“First, float naturally on the water’s surface.”

Mu Chi relaxed his body, took a deep breath, spread his arms, and leaned back. His head and face inevitably sank beneath the water, while his waist and legs slowly rose with the buoyancy.

When his nose and mouth touched the air, Mu Chi controlled his breathing, inhaling slowly and then exhaling gently.

His abdomen and knees gradually surfaced a little more.

“Hold that position,” Qi Liao instructed. “Try to swing your arms.”

Mu Chi made a slight motion, and his head and face immediately plunged back under. Fortunately, he’d prepared in advance, storing a large breath of oxygen in his lungs.

“Move your feet slowly, otherwise it will be easy to sink.” Qi Liao held his lower back with one hand, “Remember to breathe when your face is out of the water.”

Mu Chi lay on the water’s surface, initially puzzled by the sudden increase in buoyancy. He soon realized it was Qi Liao’s hand—broad, warm, and firmly pressed against his lower back, offering absolute security.

“Imagine yourself as a small boat and your limbs are your oars.” Qi Liao’s deep voice echoed through the moonlight, starlit pool, like aged wine, intoxicating to the senses.

Mu Chi thought intoxicatedly that Qi Liao could be so gentle at times.

Qi Liao slowly let go of his hand and stepped back a few steps, watching Mu Chi drift by like a small boat. His pretty face was full of seriousness, and his slender body was faintly visible on the water’s surface. His waist was narrow, his legs were well-proportioned, and they were covered with thin, flexible muscles.

Such a physique was perfectly suited for swimming. With training from childhood, he might have become an athlete.

Suddenly, Qi Liao’s eyes fixed. Under the bright moonlight, he saw a bright red and purple spot on Mu Chi’s leg.

…Was it the mark left by him pinching him that time?

It had been several days now and it hadn’t faded yet?

Mu Chi swam slowly in a circle, like a nimble and graceful mermaid in the night.

Qi Liao couldn’t help but wonder, “You swim pretty fast. Did you know how to do this before?”

Mu Chi felt a twinge of guilt. “No.” At most, he had taught himself and mastered a few techniques.

Qi Liao snorted coldly: “Then you’re incredibly gifted. You learn quickly, grasp things quickly, and have excellent coordination.”

Mu Chi shamelessly admitted, “Yes, that’s right.”

“…”

After swimming freestyle for half an hour, Qi Liao said: “Go back to bed early.”

Back upstairs, Mu Chi bent over to pull up his pants—revealing a narrow waist, pert buttocks, and long legs.

Qi Liao caught another glimpse of the pinch marks on Mu Chi’s thigh. His heart skipped a beat, and he shifted his gaze uncomfortably.

Before heading to their respective rooms, Mu Chi said goodnight.  Qi Liao replied, a rare remark: “Sweet dreams.”

Whether Mu Chi had a good dream or not, he didn’t know, but his dreams were all about Mu Chi…

Suppressing his restlessness, Qi Liao got up, took a cold shower, and went for his morning run.

To his surprise, Mu Chi was waiting there, clad in a snow-blue tracksuit , his arms exposed. Yawning incessantly yet forcing himself to stay awake, he said, “Morning. Let’s run together.”

Qi Liao stepped forward and pinched his arm.

Mu Chi let out a yelp.

Qi Liao then pinched his waist.

Mu Chi yelped again.

Qi Liao: “There’s too much lactic acid accumulated. Wait until it’s digested before running, or you’ll wreck yourself.”

Mu Chi rubbed his sore shoulders and frowned: “I used to be a really good runner.”

“Start with swimming first. Once you get used to it in a few days, you can do other exercises.”

It could only be done this way.

Xiao Tian poked his head in from the doorway: “Mu Ge, put on your makeup.”

Mu Chi replied, “It’ll smudge anyway during swimming. Skip it. You guys can head back. The broadcast is about to start.”

“But Zhu Ge said…”

“Just tell him that I’m naturally beautiful and I look good even without makeup.”

Xiaotian nodded reluctantly, “Okay.”

Upon hearing this, Qi Liao stared at Mu Chi’s face for a long moment before murmuring, “Indeed.”

Mu Chi didn’t hear clearly, “What?”

Qi Liao curved his lips into a faint smile, heading downstairs for his morning run. He whistled to call out to Diyi Shuai to vent their excess energy together.

After breakfast, as everyone discussed the day’s activities, Zhu Yinhang walked in.

The man was dressed in a sharp suit, his hair meticulously styled with wax, his premature graying hair surprisingly elegant. His face was beaming, almost leading netizens to believe the program had been bribed to include Zhu Yinhang as a guest.

The scene was too beautiful to imagine—even Lucas looked cuter than usual.

“Excuse me, today is Mu Chi’s checkup day, and I’m taking him to the hospital,” Zhu Yinhang said, getting straight to the point.

“Oh, okay.”

Ying Xuan asked, “Do you need us to accompany you?”

Mu Chi quickly declined, “It’s just a routine check-up. We appreciate the offer, but it’s unnecessary.”

Qi Liao suddenly said, “Zhu Ge.”

Zhu Yinhang was flattered: “What?”

Qi Liao peeled an orange leisurely, “Since you’re heading downtown, remember to buy Mu Chi a decent one-piece swimsuit.”

“Sure thing, no problem.” Zhu Yinhang grinned like a flower, teeth flashing. “Well then, we’ll be off.”

Qi Liao tossed the peeled orange into Mu Chi’s hands , who devoured it with delight.

【The Big Devil is so thoughtful】

【Who would believe Mu Chi only has 1.6 yuan?】

【Hahaha, Qi Liao’s basically treating Mu Chi make a small profit】

【Bumped】

At the hospital, the assistant had already registered Mu Chi. After a half-day of full-body examinations, the attending physician said, “Nothing serious. Your memory will definitely return. Don’t worry, just relax.”

Zhu Yinhang couldn’t help but be anxious: “Does he need medication? Like something for brain damage or something?”

Mu Chi: “…I’m not brain-damaged, okay?”

After getting the answer that he didn’t need to take medicine, Zhu Yinhang was still a little disappointed. He really wanted Mu Chi to return to his previous state immediately, even if it was just to show off, unlike now when he has to worry about his image collapsing every day.

The doctor took out two more photos of Mu Chi, “It doesn’t matter if a big star signs an autograph. It’s okay if it’s a little ugly. After all, my daughter likes him.”

Mu Chi: “…”

Zhu Yinhang kept his word and bought Mu Chi a one-piece swimsuit. Mu Chi fell for the same pair of trunks as Qi Liao and said, “Get these, they’re cheaper.”

Zhu Yinhang waved his hand and bought them both. “Remember to show some skin, your fans will like it.”

Mu Chi thought to himself, Qi Liao didn’t seem to like him showing skin, so the swim trunks would only be worn at night.

They grabbed lunch at the hospital cafeteria. On the way back, Zhu Yinhang’s nagging voice pierced his ears again: “You’re a cool and aloof male god. Don’t screw up your persona on me.”

Mu Chi countered with facts: “My fanbase seems to be growing, not shrinking.”

Zhu Yinhang said cruelly, “Stars in the entertainment industry can go from heaven to hell in just one night. You’d better not let me down, or I’ll treat you like a cash cow today and a garbage dump tomorrow.”

Mu Chi: “…Damn capitalism.”

Back at the villa, it was lunchtime. Although Mu Chi hadn’t moved much, the hospital trip was more tiring than the trip itself, so he fell asleep.

By two in the afternoon, everyone had gathered in the living room.

“Help yourselves. I’m going fishing,” Qi Liao announced, fully decked out in a sun-protective shirt and sunglasses.

Lucas, bored out of his mind, piped up, “I’ll come too.”

Mu Chi suspected Lucas had genuinely taken a liking to Qi Liao. He shot Lucas a fierce glare before adding, in a tone that was neither warm nor cold, “Fishing? I know my way around it.”

Pretentiousness level: maxed out.

Xu Wuxing immediately joined the group: “I’m coming too.”

Hao Wenrou: “We’ve got some free time anyway, let’s all go fishing for a bit to cultivate our spirits.”

【Yay yay, let’s see who catches the most fish】

【The male god is the best fisherman/sly smile】

【Everyone likes him, hehe】

【Not even a fishing type, yet fish always bite his hook】

【Mu Chi, catch me! I want to be the fish in your pond!】

【Sunscreen shirt, sunglasses, fisherman’s hat—the Big Devil somehow makes that tacky outfit look stylish/laughing so hard I’m crying】

……

Since it’s open-air fishing, there’s no fixed location; any place with water and fish will do.

Qi Liao had already chosen a large mountain stream, where many grass carp often swim in schools. With a bit of luck, you might even spot groupers and giant salamanders.

The production team, already experienced in this area, had prepared fishing tackle, parasols, and a range of picnic utensils.

Three umbrella-shaped sunshades were set up, with pairs of people sharing them—another “couple’s seating” idea from the production team.

Mu Chi had given up on complaining. Securing the seat next to Qi Liao was more important. His expression caught Hao Wenrou’s attention, and he suddenly darted over to grab the folding chair beside Qi Liao.

Mu Chi: “…”

Qi Liao: “…”

Mu Chi’s nose was crooked with anger.

【Hahahaha, Wenrou still loves the Demon King after all!】

【I’m confused】

【Wenrou moved so fast】

Xu Wuxing beamed: “Mu Ge, come sit with me!”

No matter how angry Mu Chi was, he couldn’t make Hao Wenrou give up his spot. He had no choice but to sit beside Xu Wuxing, adjusting his fishing rod while glancing at Qi Liao and Hao Wenrou, barely ten meters away.

Ah, still angry. Why was he a step too slow?

In stark contrast to Mu Chi’s disappointment, Xu Wuxing was thoroughly delighted. She deliberately raised her voice in a sweet, high-pitched tone: “Brother Mu, do you know how to fish? Teach me~ Brother Mu, you’re so skilled, so amazing, and so fair-skinned~~~”

Mu Chi: “……………”

【HAHAHAHAHAHAHA】

【Xu Wuxing, are you trying to make me laugh to death?】

【Puppy said the truth, he just likes the white male god!]

【Xu Wuxing is so brave to deliberately provoke others】

【Xu Wuxing used to go the prince route, but he couldn’t hold it back after appearing on a dating show, hahaha】

Hao Wenrou glared at Xu Wuxing with such fury he nearly fainted from rage. He weakly leaned toward Qi Liao—only for him to stand up, leaving him lunging into thin air and nearly falling flat on his face.

Qi Liao had no time for Hao Wenrou. He stormed out into the blazing sun, baiting his hook for a bigger catch.

Lucas burst out laughing: “Xu Wuxing, you’re hilarious. I kinda like you now.”

Xu Wuxing shuddered: “I’d die before liking you.”

The two started bickering again. Mu Chi listened until his head ached. He set down his fishing rod, took off his hat and sunglasses, shed his sun-protective jacket, rolled up his pants, and dove into the stream to cool off.

Lucas yelled, “You scared all the fish away!”

Qi Liao frowned, “The water’s too shallow here. You can’t swim.”

Mu Chi shot Qi Liao a pouty look before regaining his composure. “Do you like fish?”

“Mm.”

“I’ll catch you ten.”

“Huh?”

Mu Chi wasted no time. He quietly waded into the bottom of the water and waited quietly for the fish to pass by.  The moment one swam within reach, his legs remained still while his arms shot into the water like cat claws, snatching the fish out with a swift motion.

The movement was so fast it was almost impossible to follow.

In his hands was a large grass carp!

【Holy crap】

【Mu Chi actually has the skill to catch fish with his bare hands?!?】

【It really looks like a cat catching fish】

【Mu Chi mentioned catching fish and shrimp the day before yesterday, but I thought he was just kidding】

【Why am I suddenly finding this adorable?】

Mu Chi tossed the fish onto the bank. Qi Liao reacted instantly, scooping it into the bucket.

Then, Mu Chi demonstrated his catching skills for them several more times. Sometimes he missed, but every three times, he always caught one. Everyone was stunned.

Why bother fishing when you can just grab them?

Everyone scrambled to imitate him, but came up empty-handed. Not wanting to just stand by, everyone except Qi Liao and Hao Wenrou headed upstream to fish.

Mu Chi had caught eight grass carp and one grouper. Just one more and he’d be done.

Qi Liao said, “That’s enough for dinner. Come back up.”

“It’s fine.” Mu Chi glanced up and saw Hao Wenrou and the camera crew still acting like third wheels. He started walking downstream. Unexpectedly, the current there was swift. As expected, an accident happened. He fell into the water and before he could scramble up, the waves swept him away.

“Mu Chi!” Qi Liao immediately dove in to rescue him.

Hao Wenrou and the cameraman shouted from the shore. Viewers watching the livestream had been relaxed and comfortable moments before, but the next second, their hearts pounded in terror. The shaky camera footage only amplified the sense of danger.

【Stop filming! Save him!!!】

【Muchi, please don’t be hurt!】

【Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh]

Further downstream lay a small waterfall. Falling there would surely result in injury, perhaps even death. Mu Chi tried to grab a rock for support, but instead choked on water and slammed his head again. His vision went black.

In his daze, he seemed to be lying against a solid, broad back. The scent mingled soapy freshness with honeysuckle, a hint of lemon mint, all steamed by body heat into a uniquely potent hormonal aura.

“Don’t sleep,” the voice said.

“I don’t really hate you. Actually, I…” he said to himself.

This fragment flashed through Mu Chi’s mind like lightning before he lost consciousness entirely.

Splash—Qi Liao hoisted Mu Chi from the water and waded step by step toward the shore against the rushing current. Without hesitation, he cleared debris from Mu Chi’s nose and mouth, opened his airway, and then performed artificial respiration.

The golden time for drowning rescue is five to ten minutes. Qi Liao gave Mu Chi air while pressing his chest and abdomen for a full three minutes, three minutes of fighting against time.

Still, Mu Chi showed no signs of regaining consciousness.

Qi Liao’s aura grew icy cold as he persisted with the rescue breaths. Finally, five minutes in, Mu Chi’s abdomen convulsed violently. He coughed up a mouthful of water. Qi Liao turned his face to the side to prevent further choking.

Mu Chi began coughing violently, gasping for air. His wet eyes opened blankly. “Ge…”

Qi Liao pressed his lips together so hard his tongue bled, his mouth filling with the taste of iron. “It’s okay now.”

Mu Chi thought of the fear of being washed away, and his always sparkling peach blossom eyes were filled with grievance and fear, but he didn’t dare to cry, for fear of ruining his character, so he just looked at Qi Liao.

Qi Liao’s heart seemed to have been drilled with a hole by those eyes, and only by holding Mu Chi tightly could this hole be filled. He was stiff and clumsy, as if he had a pair of mechanical arms, and he gently picked up Mu Chi, holding him tighter and tighter.

Covering Mu Chi’s head and face with a sun-protective hood, Qi Liao whispered softly, “Cry.”