The Love Reality Show's Big Boss and Little Sweetie - Chapter 56

“What are you two doing?!” Xu Wuxing wedged himself between the two lovey-dovey men. “It’s the middle of the night, it’s an eyesore!”

Mu Chi: “…”

Qi Liao pushed Xu Wuxing aside with an expressionless face. “Adult matters are none of a child’s business.”

Xu Wuxing was so angry he nearly twisted his nose out of joint. “I am not a child!”

Qi Liao led Mu Chi into the house, went straight upstairs, closed the bedroom door behind them, and finally had peace and quiet.

Witnessing the two of them enter the same bedroom, the others exchanged looks. Lucas said sympathetically, “Your bedroom is right between theirs, and you didn’t notice at all that they’ve been sleeping together?”

Xu Wuxing stumbled, looking utterly devastated. Hao Wenrou, who was standing closest to him, remained completely motionless, rooted like a wooden stake. Xu Wuxing leaned against Hao Wenrou for a second, then immediately straightened up, full of grief and indignation: “I’m filing a complaint! This dating show is abusing single dogs!”

Xiao Hei downstairs: “Woof?”

Diyi Shuai: “Woof woof woof?”

Xu Wuxing let out a wail and ran back to his room. “Even the dogs come in pairs!”

【HAHAHAHAHA】

【Xu Wuxing is single-handedly responsible for all my laughs.】

【Qi Liao, you’d better treat Mu Chi right, or you’ll Xingbao’s tears hahaha】

Ying Xuan tried to smooth things over. “Everyone, let’s head back to sleep. Pleasant dreams.”

Lucas couldn’t resist adding more fuel. “Tonight, some people’s dreams will definitely be filled with Qi Liao and Mu Chi, scenes of them being affectionate and all lovey-dovey.”

As he spoke, he deliberately shot a glance at Hao Wenrou.

Hao Wenrou wasn’t being gentle anymore, retorting sarcastically, “At least some people have had it before, while others have never experienced it at all.”

Lucas: “Had what?”

“Love, of course.” Hao Wenrou drifted past Mu Chi’s room and shot a resentful glare at the door.

Lucas chuckled and asked Ying Xuan, “Is that what you think too?”

Ying Xuan’s expression remained unchanged. “One must learn to control their own thoughts. Without improper fancies, there will be far fewer sorrows.”

“?”

【The award-winning actor is truly on another level, his mindset is in a different league.】

【If you don’t want Ying Xuan, I’ll take him.】

【Dream on. The moment Ying Xuan leaves this show, I’m going to pursue him like crazy, even with a twenty-year age gap.】

【Minors are forbidden from watching dating shows. Who knew Ying Xuan had 55-year-old fans.】

【Hahaha don’t break the poor girl’s spirit】

…

The next morning, Mu Chi and Qi Liao got up to go for a run together. To their surprise, the moment they stepped out, they were met with the lens of a filming camera.

“What are you doing?” Qi Liao asked, frowning.

The cameraman cautiously explained, “The director said the live broadcast starts at this time from now on.”

“It’s only 6:30.” Qi Liao glanced at his sports watch. “Is the director suffering from some major illness?”

The cameraman kept his mouth shut, not daring to badmouth the director. But honestly, who wanted to work this early? It was all due to the director’s forceful coercion.

【??? I’m seeing a live broadcast?】

【Did the sun rise from the west today? Starting this early?】

【I just opened Durian Video to watch the replay and actually caught a live stream!】

【Frantically screenshotting! My male gods in sportswear, still a bit drowsy, are so cute!】

【Ahhh! They really did sleep in the same room!】

【Why get up so early? Shouldn’t you be cuddling more? /shy】

【They can still get up to run… definitely didn’t do any ‘bad things’ last night…】

Qi Liao couldn’t be bothered to argue with the cameraman and took Mu Chi to the park for their morning run.

After one lap, Mu Chi was fully awake. Seeing the cameraman running alongside them, he asked, “Brother Cameraman, isn’t it tiring running while carrying that camera?”

Cameraman: “Used to it.”

Mu Chi gave a thumbs up. “Badass.”

Cameraman: “You know this is live, right?”

Mu Chi’s foot caught, and he almost fell. Qi Liao, who had already run one more lap than Mu Chi, was catching up fast: “Watch the path, don’t pay attention to irrelevant people.”

Cameraman: …I’m not irrelevant.

Mu Chi turned his face away, pretending nothing had happened. Surely no one was watching the stream at this hour. Little did he know the number of viewers in the live stream was multiplying by the thousands.

During his third lap, Mu Chi ran into Xia Yang and greeted him somewhat awkwardly.

Xia Yang was wearing a black tank top; his sweatpants and sneakers were also black. Combined with his buzz cut, it gave him a more steady aura. Without changing his expression, he said, “Good morning.”

Then, he quickened his pace and ran past them.

Mu Chi ran until he fell into step beside Qi Liao, panting heavily. “I… can’t run anymore.”

Qi Liao checked his watch. “That’s enough. Four kilometers. Now walk a slow lap to cool down.”

Mu Chi slowed to a walk, strolling through the park. He saw an elderly man practicing Tai Chi during his morning exercises and went over to learn a few moves.

Then he saw some aunties doing square dancing and went over to sway along for a bit.

Next, he spotted workers gathering lotus seed pods in the lake’s center. He asked, “Big Sister, could I have one lotus flower?”

The woman didn’t recognize him as a celebrity, but seeing how handsome Mu Chi was, she smiled warmly and picked a few lotus buds in bloom, four or five lotus stems, and a pair of seed pods for him.

“Thank you, Big Sister.” Mu Chi pulled a chocolate bar from his pocket and offered it to her.

The woman accepted it with a smile. “These lotuses look nice in a jar too. When you get back, find a small water jar to put them in. Keep it under the eaves, out of direct sun, and they’ll bloom for a week.”

“Okay.” Mu Chi, arms full of lotus blossoms, went to find Qi Liao. The flowers were beautiful, but the man holding them was even more ethereal.

【Someone who truly loves life can find beauty anywhere.】

【My allergy to romance has been cured by the Fire and Water CP.】

【They’re so well-suited, so perfectly matched!】

Thanks to the dating show’s early broadcast, the small courtyard was in a state of utter chaos. The moment Mu Chi and Qi Liao returned, everyone had to gather for filming, ready or not.

Mu Chi was used to it by now, but netizens were shocked. Why was the courtyard still littered with broken tiles? Why was Diyi Shuai pooping by the main gate? And Xu Wuxing, stop running around with that bird’s nest hair!

“Brother Mu, you’re back! Remember to call me tomorrow when you go running,” Xu Wuxing said, glaring at Qi Liao with sleep still crusted in the corners of his eyes.

Qi Liao couldn’t bear to look directly at him. Mu Chi took a half-step back. “You should… go wash up first.”

“Diyi Shuai!” Qi Liao scolded the dog. “Why are you pooping at the main gate? Clean it up yourself.”

Diyi Shuai hung his head, fetched a dustpan with his mouth, shoveled his own waste into it, carried it to the backyard, and buried it in the soil as fertilizer.

【Is he smart or dumb? Wouldn’t it be easier to just go in the backyard in the first place?】

【Diyi Shuai’s dashing, heroic image is ruined.】

【He’s a dog, after all. Maybe he just wanted a fresh, warm one.】

【…………】

【Thank goodness he didn’t eat it. Even Xiao Hei wants nothing to do with him now.】

【Xiao Hei might be a stray, but he’s got great wisdom, unlike that silly Diyi Shuai.】

It took a full hour for the production team to get the courtyard looking presentable, and for all the guests to appear somewhat decent on camera.

【This dating show feels so real.】

【It reminds me of my university dorm life—just as chaotic.】

【Director, can you please find a more luxurious location? There’s no ‘romance vibe’ left!】

【Only Mu Chi is a ray of light in this ordinary life.】

【My male god is as ethereal as ever today.】

Mu Chi found a water jar, filled it using the hose at the courtyard tap, and let it sit in the strong sun for half an hour.

Hao Wenrou asked, “Why are you sunning the water?”

Mu Chi: “Tap water usually contains chlorine after disinfection. Chlorine dissolves in water. Letting it sit in the sun helps it evaporate. It’s better for the plants afterwards.”

Hao Wenrou smiled. “Brother Mu, you know so much.”

Mu Chi: “We learned this in middle school.”

“I forgot it all long ago.” Hao Wenrou picked up a lotus leaf. “Shall we arrange the flowers together?”

“There are only a few. If you’d like to arrange them, go ahead. Just remember to move the jar to a shady spot afterward.”

“…Maybe you should do it, Brother Mu.”

Mu Chi smiled and went to arrange the flowers himself, conveniently moving the jar to a corner by the wall, safe from direct sun. From a distance, the corner of the courtyard looked refreshingly cool, adding a lot of aesthetic pleasure.

In the afternoon, they went surfing. Hao Wenrou specifically bought a volleyball and brought it along. “Just surfing isn’t that fun. How about we play beach volleyball?”

Xu Wuxing: “You only say that because you can’t surf.”

Hao Wenrou’s expression cooled. “If you don’t want to play volleyball, you can go surf by yourself.”

Ying Xuan once again played the peacemaker. “Since Wenrou brought it, let’s play for a while. I’d like to stretch my muscles too; floating on the sea makes me tense.”

Qi Liao pulled Mu Chi over. “Xu Wuxing, you’re on our side. The three of us will be a team.”

Ying Xuan and Lucas had no objections. Hao Wenrou bit his lower lip, glaring at the trio opposite with a delicate, resentful expression. “Fine, then.”

The production crew set up the volleyball net. In the meantime, Mu Chi practiced bumping the volleyball with his wrists, dropping it almost immediately.

Mu Chi: “…I haven’t played volleyball in ages.”

Qi Liao: “Don’t worry. I’ve got you.”

Xu Wuxing chimed in eagerly: “And me!”

Mu Chi took sports seriously and didn’t want to rely entirely on others. He kept practicing, eventually managing to bump the ball three times in a row without dropping it.

【Is Wenrou going to have a villain arc?】

【This isn’t a novel, how would he ‘turn dark’?】

【My male god is most adorable when he’s serious.】

【I bet fifty cents the Demon King can receive every ball.】

Once the court was marked, the game began.

Hao Wenrou served first. Thwump! It sailed over the net, landing right near Mu Chi.

Mu Chi hurriedly reached to hit it, sending the ball flying high into the air… where it landed behind him.

“…”

Qi Liao went to retrieve the ball. “It’s fine.” He tossed the ball back to Hao Wenrou.

Xu Wuxing beat his chest like a gorilla. “Serve it to me!”

Hao Wenrou served again, this time aiming straight for Xu Wuxing. Xu Wuxing raised his hands, let out a “Wah!” as the ball hit him square in the head, and was instantly taken out.

“…”

Even Ying Xuan felt awkward. “Qi Liao, maybe you should serve now.”

Hao Wenrou: “There was nothing wrong with my serve. Xu Wuxing just couldn’t receive it.”

Xu Wuxing scrambled up, flushed with humiliation. “I’ll definitely get the next one!”

Qi Liao said flatly, “It’s two-zero. Nothing more to say. My serve.”

He tossed the ball with one hand, leaped up, and slammed it over with a powerful spike. The ball shot straight toward Lucas.

Lucas didn’t even have time to yelp before it hit him square in the chest, knocking him over.

The rules for this recreational game were simple: each side served twice, alternating. The team with the most points won.

Ying Xuan tossed the ball to Qi Liao, adopting a defensive stance. “Bring it.”

Qi Liao sent the ball over the net again. Ying Xuan received it and hit it back. They rallied back and forth until Ying Xuan stepped on the boundary line and lost the point.

Next, it was Hao Wenrou’s team’s turn to serve. Lucas, seeking revenge, said, “Let me serve this one.”

Result: He served the ball straight out of bounds.

“…I only know how to play basketball. Volleyball isn’t my thing.”

Hao Wenrou snatched the ball resentfully and once again aimed for Xu Wuxing.

Xu Wuxing: “Hiyah! Ah!” He was knocked down again.

Qi Liao: “Three-three. Our serve.”

Whenever Qi Liao was on the court, their score shot up rapidly. It soon reached seven-nine, with his team leading by two points.

Hao Wenrou looked close to tears. Even by targeting Xu Wuxing and Mu Chi exclusively, he couldn’t catch up to Qi Liao. Would he never measure up to Qi Liao?

It was Qi Liao’s serve again. Hao Wenrou’s face was a picture of despair.

Just then, a figure appeared behind Hao Wenrou, caught the spiked ball, and effortlessly returned it. The ball shot back, just barely skimming past Mu Chi’s cheek—impossible for the other side to return even if they tried.

Hao Wenrou turned in surprise. “?”

It was a tall, handsome man, probably only twenty-three or twenty-four, with pale, cool-toned skin, phoenix eyes, and sleek, slightly long black hair tied into a small bun at the back of his head. His smile held a hint of mischief.

“A King bullying three Bronzes isn’t a display of real skill,” the man said with a grin.

Qi Liao: “You think my team doesn’t have any Bronzes?”

“But you’re the King. In my opinion, this side needs a King too.” The man pointed at himself. “For example, me.”

Qi Liao didn’t even look at him properly, his gaze briefly checking Mu Chi’s face to ensure it wasn’t grazed before saying, “Suit yourself.”

The man smiled at Lucas. “Please take a rest on the sidelines. I’ll be your substitute.”

Lucas winked. “Ok.”

【…Who is that?】

【Where did this hottie come from? Did the production team hire someone new?】

【He almost hit Mu Chi! No matter who he is, he’s my mortal enemy!】

The man took Lucas’s position. “This makes it fair. Let’s begin.”

Qi Liao bounced the volleyball in his hand, his well-defined fingers gripping it firmly, veins prominent on the back of his hand. His deep, intense eyes were filled with a cold intensity. “We play the ball, not the face. If you touch his face again, I won’t be polite.”