The Love Reality Show's Big Boss and Little Sweetie - Chapter 39

[Holy moly, Mu Chi is so brave, he just said it outright like that!]

[Hearts are breaking everywhere for those who mixed up the top/bottom roles.]

[The Demon King is definitely the total top.]

[Wenrou is stunned.]

[The way they’re looking at each other could stretch into silk.]

[So well-matched, so well-matched! I’m shipping a real couple!]

[Please get married on the spot!]

[This is the ultimate Great Demon King x Silly Sweetheart!]

[So sweet it’s killing me!]

On the way back, the three of them remained silent, with only the fleeting neon lights of the city flashing by.

When they reached the small courtyard, the aroma of food already wafted from the kitchen, where Ying Xuan was busy. Xu Wuxing was squatting by the doorway like a big dog, watching the three latecomers with resentment in his eyes.

“Why didn’t you call me when you went out to have fun?”

Hao Wenrou wasn’t in the mood to respond. He walked straight in, tossing out, “I’m skipping dinner,” before going upstairs to his room.

Mu Chi said, “You were still asleep when we left.”

“Then you should have woken me!” Xu Wuxing had been depressed for half the day. “I wanted to go surfing too.”

“I’ll take you tomorrow,” Mu Chi’s tone wasn’t much different from how one speaks to a child. “Provided you wake up before 3 p.m.”

Xu Wuxing was pacified. “It’s a deal then.”

Seeing Xu Wuxing reminded Mu Chi of Diyi Shuai. He asked Qi Liao, “When will Diyi Shuai get here?”

“Miss him?” Qi Liao said casually. “We’re not raising chickens here anyway.”

“But he can guard the house. It’s good for anti-theft too.”

“Then I’ll have someone bring him over.”

During dinner, the main gate was knocked on. Lucas went to open it, raised an eyebrow at the person outside, and said, “What a rare guest.”

Xia Yang’s expression was stiff. He held out a plate of shrimp. “My mom insisted I bring this over.”

Lucas didn’t take it. “I’m someone whose ten fingers never touch the spring water—I can’t carry this plate. Please come in.”

(*Idiom meaning unused to housework.)

“…”

Xia Yang had to walk in, deliver the dish to the dining room, and under everyone’s odd stares, turn and leave without a word.

Lucas acted as translator: “His mom made him do it. This isn’t a gesture of goodwill.”

Xu Wuxing guessed: “It’s not poisoned, is it?”

Ying Xuan laughed softly: “Unlikely. Anyway, they’re neighbors. Better not to make things awkward.”

Xu Wuxing didn’t think much of it: “They’re only neighbors for a month.”

Ying Xuan picked up a shrimp, unhurriedly peeled it, placed the meat in his mouth, and chewed carefully. “Mmm, the taste isn’t worse than restaurant food. Mu Chi, try it. You like shrimp, right?”

Mu Chi instinctively looked at Qi Liao for his opinion.

Qi Liao: “Eat what you want. Why look at me?”

Only then did Mu Chi feel bold enough to eat the shrimp. He even thoughtfully peeled two for Qi Liao. “These aren’t sea shrimp, they’re river shrimp. You can eat these.”

After dinner, they needed to return the plate. Ying Xuan took the initiative to handle this somewhat awkward task, bringing a bag of grapes as a return gift.

Mu Chi went out for a walk to aid digestion. Qi Liao followed, and Xu Wuxing naturally had to join in the fun—as the third wheel.

The three walked down the narrow path from the hillside. Moths fluttered under the streetlights, spiderwebs clung to the guardrails, and mosquitoes buzzed around their ears.

Xu Wuxing was clever; he had brought a small handheld fan and was fanning himself. Mu Chi could only use his own hand as a makeshift fan.

Qi Liao carried a small bottle of floral water with him and sprayed a lot on Mu Chi’s legs. The scent of honeysuckle trailed them all the way.

The area at the foot of the hill here was much more lively than before. Stalls lined the road, including a small truck loaded with watermelons for sale. Mu Chi said, “Let’s buy a watermelon on the way back.”

Suddenly, Qi Liao grabbed Mu Chi’s hand and pulled him closer as an electric scooter whizzed past at high speed.

Xu Wuxing was startled: “Why are these scooters darting around recklessly here? Aren’t they afraid of hitting people?”

Qi Liao didn’t offer an opinion. Different places have different customs; it’s best just to be more careful.

Mu Chi also said, “It’s fine.”

Xu Wuxing specifically observed for a moment. “Those driving recklessly seem to be mostly elderly people. Is it because they didn’t receive proper training?”

Qi Liao: “It’s because young people value their lives more than they do.”

[The road planning is problematic. There’s no dedicated non-motorized vehicle lane, so they have to take over the sidewalk.]

[Where I live, there are non-motorized lanes, but the elderly still charge onto the motor vehicle lanes, and you can’t even say anything to them!]

[Where I live, the sidewalks are almost gone. Going out means dealing with large and small vehicles everywhere. It’s so annoying.]

[I have no favorable impression of cities where vehicles occupy the blind paths.]

[Stop scolding, stop scolding! Locals are often speechless too.]

“Anything else you want to buy?” Qi Liao asked Mu Chi.

Xu Wuxing: “Brother Qi, why don’t you ask me?”

Qi Liao: “You have money.”

Xu Wuxing: “…”

Mu Chi: “Thanks, I feel insulted on his behalf.”

Qi Liao let out a light laugh: “You’re just the walking companion. I’ll pay you wages. Pick what you want yourself.”

Mu Chi didn’t stand on ceremony either. He turned and walked into a shop specializing in small accessories and the like. The first thing he saw upon entering was a row of various small fans.

Mu Chi spotted a panda-themed small fan at first glance. “I want this one.”

Xu Wuxing rushed to say: “I’ll pay!”

Mu Chi also picked up a pack of cooling patches. “And this.”

“I’ll pay!”

Mu Chi also picked up a notebook. Xu Wuxing snatched it and put it in the shopping basket, acting ostentatiously rich and extravagant: “Brother Mu, I’ll buy this whole row of notebooks for you!”

[Hahahaha Xingbao is too cute!]

[Xu Wuxing, you really don’t come across as a domineering CEO. Better stick to dancing.]

[The Demon King is looking at him like he’s an idiot.]

Xu Wuxing paid for everything Mu Chi had picked out and then volunteered to carry it all himself. Mu Chi had the illusion that he and Qi Liao were the landlord and his lady, and Xu Wuxing was their little slave.

On the way back, the little slave, tired from carrying the watermelon, fell, dropped the watermelon, and lost the notebook, which happened to got run over by a passing car.

Only the small fan in Mu Chi’s hand survived.

Xu Wuxing was on the verge of tears: “I’m sorry…”

Mu Chi quickly comforted him: “It’s okay. Qi Liao still has a watermelon.”

“But the gifts I bought you… Waaah!” Xu Wuxing ran sadly up the hill, and Mu Chi couldn’t catch up.

“Kids forget things quickly. He’ll be fine in a little while,” Qi Liao said, holding two large watermelons steadily in his hands—much lighter than his weightlifting.

Mu Chi could only hope so. However, when they returned to the courtyard, they found Xu Wuxing crying in Ying Xuan’s arms.

Ying Xuan was like an elder to everyone, treating each person gently. He patted Xu Wuxing’s back to soothe him for a good while before finally managing to comfort him.

[…Xingxing, just stay with the Film Emperor.]

[There’s a fifteen-year age gap between them.]

[Such a delicious older/younger dynamic, I’m here for it!]

[I’ll ship it a little.]

The variety show ended its broadcast for the day at this point, leaving netizens with endless lingering charm and criticisms—the director’s old habits died hard.

The next day, Mu Chi woke up early, changed into sportswear, and went for a run with Qi Liao. At this hour, the streets were mostly empty, only the breakfast stalls and bun shops were open.

There was a park at the foot of the hill. It wasn’t very large, but it had the advantage of fresh air and quiet paths, perfect for running.

After running one lap, Mu Chi felt full of oxygen and full of energy. He smiled and said, “Aerobic exercise really works.”

Qi Liao said, “You’ve just recovered. A light run of three thousand meters is enough.”

“OK.”

After the run, Mu Chi, who normally wasn’t prone to sweating easily, finally felt drenched in sweat again, the moisture slowly evaporating. As he walked, he took deep breaths. His snow-white face was glossy with sweat under the rising morning sun, and his thin, petal-like lips were bright red and tender.

Qi Liao watched for a few seconds before forcing himself to look away, but his mind kept replaying that “kiss.” It had been an accidental kiss, it didn’t count. Mu Chi seemed to have forgotten it too; he shouldn’t be remembering it.

Listening to Mu Chi’s breathing, Qi Liao’s body, already scorching hot from the run, felt an added stinging pain.

The phrase “hot-blooded and virile” was no lie.

On the way back, Mu Chi’s steps were light and buoyant for a long time, as if the energy within his body had been activated and unblocked. Feeling physically better made him happier. He took hold of Qi Liao’s hand.

Qi Liao didn’t shake him off.

When they encountered people on the road, Mu Chi would let go, wait for them to pass, and then hold hands again.

Qi Liao’s large hand gripped his back. “All you know how to do is sneak around.”

Mu Chi looked at Qi Liao, his heart full of joy. He almost asked the question, “Do you like me?”, but felt too shy.

“…I’m telling you, if you don’t bring the money next Sunday, your car is gone,” a rogue-ish voice came from an alley.

Then a slightly detached voice replied: “I’ll give you the money after I win this race.”

“Look, Xia Yang, I’m not trying to be harsh, but if you have no money, why play at racing? You’ll end up losing your shirt sooner or later. Listen to me, buddy, win this race and then sell the car.”

“None of your business.”

“Damn, throwing kindness back in my face. I’ll come for the money next Sunday. You’d better win for me.”

A hooligan wearing a skull-print tank top and low-crotch pants swaggered out of the alley with two lackeys and came face-to-face with the scene of two men holding hands. “What the hell? Disgusting.”

Xia Yang also looked up and saw them, his thick brows furrowing tightly. “You…”

Before he could finish, Qi Liao had already let go of Mu Chi’s hand and punched the lead hooligan square in the face. The gushing nosebleed and scream added a touch of vitality to the morning.

The two lackeys rushed forward. Qi Liao dealt with them one punch each, neat and efficient.

“Y-you… who are you?! What do you think you’re doing?!” The lead hooligan lay on the ground, his nose bleeding profusely.

Qi Liao uttered two words: ” Apologize.”

“Wh-what apology?” The hooligan looked around blankly, saw Mu Chi, and immediately understood. “Sorry, sorry! I’m the disgusting one, okay?”

“Get lost.” The three hooligans staggered away.

Xia Yang’s expression was complicated. “You…”

Qi Liao grabbed Mu Chi and walked off as if he hadn’t seen another person there.

“Huff, huff.” Mu Chi held Qi Liao’s hand and blew on it. “Gege, did it hurt your hand? Next time, maybe wear leather gloves.”

Xia Yang: “…”

Don’t be fooled by Qi Liao’s indifferent expression; after returning, he immediately found his assistant: “There’s a racing competition here recently. Investigate it.”

By the time they finished breakfast, the assistant had already sent the information to his tablet.

Qi Liao looked at the content on the tablet, falling into deep thought.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Chi came over and asked.

“There’s a racing competition here. Only if Xia Yang wins can he repay the money. The prize money is a hundred thousand.”

“That much?” Mu Chi’s eyes lit up. “Can I participate too?”

Qi Liao looked Mu Chi up and down. “With your driving skills?”

“…” Okay, Mu Chi was just dreaming. He sat down next to Qi Liao. “Do you want to participate? Then you’d definitely win the championship.”

“I’m not interested in the championship of such a small competition,” Qi Liao said bluntly. “I just dislike people who disrupt racing order.”

“How are they disrupting it?”

“Do you think loan sharks would easily let Xia Yang win the race?”

“Why wouldn’t they want him to win? Winning means prize money.”

Qi Liao looked at Mu Chi with a smile, as if looking at a pure white angel. “You’re too naive). If I were the loan shark, I would try every way to prevent Xia Yang from winning the race. That way, I could repossess his car. If he doesn’t want to lose the car, he’d have to mortgage his house. He’d have to choose one or the other. It’s a deal that he can’t lose.”

Mu Chi was stunned. “They can do that?”

Qi Liao couldn’t help but tap the tip of Mu Chi’s elegant, straight, and slightly upturned nose. “That’s why I said you’re naive.”