RSDH CH24

The next day, just as dawn broke, the production team sent a private car to pick everyone up.

Duan Xingye climbed into the back seat, quickly claimed a spot, and continued to sleep.

He rejoiced that he managed to hold Cheng Duzhou down last night; otherwise, waking up so early to travel, both of them would be wrecked.

Someone got into the car and sat beside him. After the rustling sound of clothes friction, there was no movement.

Duan Xingye leaned his head against the window, slowly opened his eyes, and glanced over.

Cheng Duzhou leaned back against the seat, eyes closed resting, his face unable to hide his weariness.

Gone was the vigor from last night. Without enough sleep, everyone collapses.

At the end of last night, Cheng Duzhou was still in low spirits because of his rejection. Thinking about it now, Duan Xingye found it funny.

He lightly nudged Cheng Duzhou’s knee with his own.

“Thank me.”

Idiot.

“I thank you.” Cheng Duzhou opened his eyes immediately, his drooping eyelashes glancing slightly in this direction, but not looking at him. “I thank you for playing with fire so intensely and leaving me to perish in the end.”

“You…”

Duan Xingye’s expression tightened.

Right at this moment.

The driver, having loaded the luggage, opened the car door.

The two of them shut up simultaneously with rare tacit understanding, dropping the topic.

Cheng Duzhou closed his eyes to sleep.

Duan Xingye tucked in his hands and squeezed towards the car door, moving away from the person beside him.

He had explained so many times last night—he wasn’t seducing, wasn’t seducing, wasn’t seducing—but Cheng Duzhou just wouldn’t believe it and even got emotional.

Duan Xingye bit his lip, suppressing his anger with a cold snort in his heart.

This mission would end eventually. When that time came, he would break everything down in detail and make it clear, letting Cheng Duzhou see just how ridiculously wrong he was!

Old Xu called from behind the car: “Driver, could you make some space for the equipment?”

The driver got out of the car again.

The air in the back row solidified, silence surrounding them.

“Yes.” Cheng Duzhou suddenly spoke, turning his head to the other side, disheartened. “A donkey d!ck needs no pity.”

“…………”

The destination this time was Xi Village, a famous ancient town scenic area in the country. Located on a plain and backed by mountains, the town had abundant water sources. It was a four-hour drive from Shanghai.

At first, Duan Xingye piled pillows against the window to sleep. Just as the car hit the highway out of the city, Cheng Duzhou asked him, “Want to come over?”

Duan Xingye was half-asleep and sleeping fitfully. Opening his eyes to look at Cheng Duzhou, he thought for only a fraction of a second before abandoning the pillows, leaning over, and nuzzling into a comfortable position on the man’s chest.

Of course, the hatchet wasn’t buried; he just wanted stable sleep.

The livestream was on:

“So obedient, came over as soon as he was called, melted~”

“Don’t know whether to envy President Cheng or the little kitten right now.”

“After joining the romance variety show, Teacher Duan has changed so much. Last night’s cat ears left a deep shock on me.”

“Maybe it’s not a big change, but he was always like this? Look at him in private: scratching backs, licking milk, meowing—he does it all.”

“Hahaha, substituting into President Cheng, it’s really hard not to love.”

“Joining the Meow Meow Sect today!”

Unaware that netizens were filling in the blanks about him the whole way, Duan Xingye slept soundly.

The car departed at six in the morning and didn’t stop slowly until nearly eleven.

Duan Xingye was woken up, rubbed his eyes, and looked out the window.

The sky presented a greenish-gray gloom. Distant mountains were surrounded by rain and mist, heavy as if about to fall but not falling. Below the mountains spread vast forests and fields, already donning a light green coat before spring arrived. The scenery before his eyes was full of rural freshness and primitiveness, obviously not a commercialized internet-famous scenic spot.

Duan Xingye realized the filming environment this time might be harsher than imagined.

He had leaned on Cheng Duzhou the whole way. Sitting up, he raised his arms to stretch his waist lazily.

Cheng Duzhou secretly grabbed his own wrist and massaged it.

Duan Xingye thought of today’s mission, then thought of Cheng Duzhou whose brain circuit never connected with his. Speechless for a moment, although knowing it was useless to say, he still cast a noble and cold glance to the side: “You need to watch my expression and act accordingly today.”

Cheng Duzhou silently lowered his head, his voice also low: “Do I watch it any less usually?”

“…”

Bullet comments:

“Hahahaha! What’s with President Cheng’s sudden burst of grievance!”

“Cheng Duzhou, you are a recognized Alpha domineering CEO!”

“Understood, henpecked husband.”

“Obviously spoils his wife.”

Right at this moment.

Cheng Duzhou’s wrist was pulled over by another hand.

Duan Xingye nestled in the seat, holding Cheng Duzhou’s left hand with both hands, massaging his wrist and rubbing his fingers not exactly gently.

Cheng Duzhou looked at their clasped hands. A sour, numb pain transmitted along the meridian straight into his heart.

The bullet comments that were laughing explosively a moment ago turned to wuwuwu in the blink of an eye.

“Teacher Duan spoils his husband too.”

“President Cheng held Teacher Duan without changing posture the whole way; his hand went numb, and I thought Teacher Duan didn’t notice.”

“Teacher Duan has a sharp tongue but a very soft heart.”

“Wearing rings, the feeling of holding hands is different!”

“Love this couple so much. They rarely look at each other, but their hearts are on each other.”

While massaging Cheng Duzhou’s hand, Duan Xingye looked out the window.

Other guests’ cars arrived too, stopping alongside one after another.

Shortly after, the chief director made a gesture indicating everyone could get off.

Duan Xingye tossed Cheng Duzhou’s hand aside, adjusted the microphone on his collar, and pushed open the door.

Cold air rushed in, clashing with the full heating inside the car.

Duan Xingye paused for a moment, stepping one foot out.

The cold wind passed by, hitting his knee.

Duan Xingye retracted his foot and closed the door.

The livestream swiped past with massive Hahahas:

“Cat probing, cat retracting paw.”

“Countryside is colder than the city; Teacher Duan obviously underestimated this.”

“Can tell Teacher Duan is used to staying in air-conditioned rooms usually.”

“Is it time to miss the long johns?”

Cheng Duzhou looked like he was holding back a smile, asking knowingly, “What’s wrong?”

Duan Xingye stared ahead in silence for a moment, pressed his lips into a straight line, and said, “Nothing.”

Then, gathering his courage, he pushed the door open and got down.

After spending time together last week, the guests were basically familiar with each other, and their conversations became more intimate and natural.

Seeing Duan Xingye, Wu Enqi smiled until her eyes squinted. “Hello Teacher Duan, where’s President Cheng?”

Duan Xingye looked back. Surprisingly, he didn’t find Cheng Duzhou at first glance. Looking around, he found him at the open trunk of the car, doing something unknown.

He answered Wu Enqi: “Coming in a bit.”

When arriving in a strange environment, Duan Xingye habitually observed the surroundings first.

There was an upright cardboard wall on the clearing ahead, likely related to the segment the program set up later. Not far away were four pitched tents for guests to rest.

Looking further away, there were scattered villages. At this hour, wisps of cooking smoke rose from the roofs of some houses, like illustrations for poems in middle school textbooks.

Duan Xingye realized that although this place was remote and desolate, no matter which angle or scene he looked at, everything within sight had the elegant freehand style of an ink wash painting, very much to his liking as a lyricist.

Except for the cold. Bone-piercing cold. Cold enough that he didn’t want to stay for a second longer.

Otherwise, Duan Xingye would have enjoyed this trip very much.

But Duan Xingye didn’t show it. Last night he explicitly rejected long johns; he couldn’t slap his own face now, so he silently endured the freezing cold alone.

Right at this moment, Cheng Duzhou closed the trunk, walked around the car, and came this way, holding a long down jacket in his hand.

Duan Xingye looked at him, then at the down jacket.

When Cheng Duzhou looked up, he met Duan Xingye’s eyes reddened by the wind. The tip of his fair nose was also red, reflecting against his snow-white skin, giving him a shivering look, yet his face was tense.

Just acting tough.

Cheng Duzhou sighed almost inaudibly and beckoned him with a small gesture. “Come here.”

Duan Xingye stopped pretending. Shoulders hunched, knees frozen stiff, he hopped over and leaned close to Cheng Duzhou, absorbing the man’s heat. Hissing through his teeth, he complained annoyed, “You didn’t say it was this cold!”

“…” Cheng Duzhou opened the down jacket to wrap around him, swapping out the coat he was wearing. Silent for a while, he accepted his fate. “Yes, my fault.”

Bullet comments:

“Ahhh hopping over looks so cute, like a little rabbit!”

“Cute enough that President Cheng is willing to take all the blame alone, hahaha really knows how to coax his wife.”

“Is Duan Xingye a drama queen?”

“Don’t understand, right? That’s a coquettish spirit acting spoiled, begging for comfort!”

After changing into the ankle-length down jacket, although not as beautiful as the woolen coat, it resisted the wind and cold. Duan Xingye decided never to take it off again.

Cheng Duzhou also stuck heat patches on the lower part of the down jacket near his knees. Then he tore open two more, reached into the down jacket, stuck them on Duan Xingye’s lower back, and pressed on them to accelerate the heating.

Duan Xingye shivered lightly, rested his chin on Cheng Duzhou’s shoulder, and his body finally relaxed.

He didn’t pack this down jacket in the suitcase last night; Cheng Duzhou must have brought it extra before departure.

He thought of the two years of marriage; Cheng Duzhou was very busy. In the first year, Cheng Duzhou took on three dramas; the days he came home could be counted on one hand. In the second year, filming was abroad, meeting once every four months.

They were childhood friends who grew up together, but meeting again after five years and getting married directly made the relationship awkward. Coupled with gathering little and parting much, it was inevitable they became estranged.

After going on the romance variety show together, opportunities for contact increased. Gradually, Duan Xingye could feel Cheng Duzhou’s thoughtfulness and attentiveness. During the journey, he seemed to be constantly taken care of by Cheng Duzhou. Regardless of whether it was for show, at least at this moment, Cheng Duzhou saved him from the severe cold.

“Thanks.”

Fussing aside, Duan Xingye wasn’t someone ungrateful.

Cheng Duzhou tilted his head slightly. “Hmm?”

Duan Xingye pursed his lips, not saying it directly. “You brought this jacket.”

Cheng Duzhou lowered his head again and said, “Say ‘Thank you, Husband’.”

Duan Xingye’s face turned cold. “That’s enough.”

Bullet comments: Hahaha! President Cheng knows how to dance in a minefield!

Ahead, the chief director picked up the loudspeaker:

“Everyone has worked hard on the journey. Welcome to the recording site of the second episode of All the Way With You. Today at noon, we will hold a picnic. However, whether you work alone or with two people, or whether you can cooperate with your husband or wife, depends on your tacit understanding.”

Bullet comments flooded: What kind of tricks is the program team playing again???

The chief director continued: “Specific items have been placed behind the cardboard wall. The production team will divide everyone into two groups. You enter behind the wall to select items. If you choose the same item, you can become partners. If not the same, you picnic alone.”

Everyone understood; this was another couple’s tacit understanding test.

The chief director said: “The program team will prepare ingredients and cooking utensils for you; other needs must be solved by yourselves. Cooking is time-limited. What you make is not just your lunch; this episode we have also introduced a point system. everyone’s craftsmanship will be evaluated and scored.”

Jiang Li was the first to ask, “What are points for?”

The chief director kept it a mystery. “You’ll know when the time comes.”

Staff wheeled out a scoreboard at this time, with the CP names of the four groups of guests already listed.

Each guest group spontaneously started discussing internally.

Jiang Li said, “The final points should determine the allocation of tonight’s housing.”

Xiao Jiahui smiled slightly guilty. “Is that so?”

Of the four groups of guests, only the party receiving the secret mission knew that points had nothing to do with room allocation. The uninformed party naturally linked the current task to the final room allocation.

On Lü Ye Shu Huai’s side.

Cheng Duzhou said, “Let’s be in a group, right?”

Duan Xingye couldn’t cook, and he was worried, so he wanted to be grouped together as much as possible.

Duan Xingye thought, Nonsense.

They were partners to begin with. Moreover, Cheng Duzhou’s cooking skills were top-notch. For points, he had to be tied to him.

Duan Xingye said casually, “Even if you weren’t my husband, I would fight to be in a group with you.”

Cheng Duzhou looked at him, his gaze deepening. “I am your husband.”

“…” Duan Xingye purely had a slip of the tongue. Changing the subject, he said, “Later, you guess what I will take, and then you choose that.”

Cheng Duzhou hesitated for a moment and said, “What if…”

Duan Xingye immediately shot daggers with his eyes. “There is no ‘what if’!”

“…”

The bullet comments burst into laughter, witnessing Duan Xingye’s dominance once again.

The guests were divided into two groups. Husbands and wives or husbands and husbands were separated and walked behind the cardboard wall together.

The audience saw clearly that behind the wall, it was separated into left and right sides. Each side had a table with messy and irregular items: pots, spatulas, fresh meat, cabbage, broccoli, spicy strips, towels, and even plush toys.

The more items placed, the greater the difficulty of the challenge for the guests.

Bullet comments:

” Lü Ye Shu Huai must be grouped together!”

“TAT I feel uncomfortable if Lü Ye Shu Huai separates for even a second. Begging President Cheng and Teacher Duan to be awesome. Mainly President Cheng needs to be awesome; think about what Teacher Duan really likes.”

“With President Cheng’s understanding of Teacher Duan, there shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Teacher Duan made a choice!”

“He really loves blue!”

“President Cheng go go go!”

Separated from Duan Xingye by a wall, Cheng Duzhou’s gaze swept over the table full of items, looking contemplative. Finally, his gaze lingered on that dark blue whale toy in the corner for a few seconds.

…

One minute later, all guests confirmed their selected items.

The chief director counted down: “Three, two, one.”

Then, the staff exaggeratedly pulled down the entire cardboard wall.

Eight people stood in a row behind it, and what each other took was clear at a glance.

Duan Xingye took a whale toy.

He took a step forward, leaning over to look at Cheng Duzhou on the other side of the partition.

And Cheng Duzhou was also leaning over to look at him.

Duan Xingye’s gaze moved down, and his small face sank.

Cheng Duzhou took a broccoli.

“…”

[Lü Ye Shu Huai] livestream room.

“Wuwuwuwuwu how could this be? I watched President Cheng take the toy with my own eyes, then put it down at the end. Why choose broccoli ah!”

“Teacher Duan’s face doesn’t look good. Lighting a candle for President Cheng first.”

“Is Teacher Duan cooking alone really okay? I’m already starting to worry.”

The final result was that Duan Xingye and Xiao Jiahui were left alone, while Cheng Duzhou and Jiang Li both took broccoli.

The other two groups tacitly chose the same item and were not separated.

The chief director told everyone to collect ingredients for cooking.

Clutching the broccoli in his hand, Cheng Duzhou lowered his head and walked toward Duan Xingye.

Duan Xingye didn’t even glance at him, turning his head to leave the venue.

“…”

Cheng Duzhou stood in place, his tall figure looking slightly desolate in the cold wind.

When Duan Xingye collected ingredients, a staff member behind the table took advantage of no one being around to stuff a card into his basket. Like a secret agent meeting, he said, “Please guide President Cheng to say the words on the card.” Checking his phone, he added, “Three hours until check-in.”

Duan Xingye raised an eyebrow.

Yesterday’s mission was insurmountable for him, so much so that when it came down to it, he felt nothing could be more difficult than yesterday’s sentence.

Duan Xingye opened the card full of confidence, only to see written on it:

[You are really cute today.]

“…………”

Bang!

Duan Xingye slammed a palm on the counter.

The staff jumped in fright.

Fortunately, no one was nearby.

Since today’s secret wasn’t hidden from the livestream, the audience quickly understood.

“So that’s it! Teacher Duan drinking milk and acting like a cat last night was all because of a secret mission!”

“I was wondering why he suddenly clung to President Cheng acting spoiled and selling moe!”

“Hahaha dying of laughter. Thinking about it now, Teacher Duan must have been exploding with anger last night. Heart aches for my Teacher Duan.”

“Wonder how President Cheng will feel after knowing the truth.”

Duan Xingye knew he had been played by the program team. In public, he held back his outburst, carrying his ingredients into the tent.

Bullet comments:

“Will we see a cute Teacher Duan again later?”

“Looking forward to it! Where is President Cheng? President Cheng come quick! Your wife is about to unleash his ultimate move!”

At this moment, Cheng Duzhou was still outside, slowly walking to the tent belonging to their group, stopped, hesitating to move forward.

Duan Xingye was very angry right now.

He messed things up, didn’t choose the same item as Duan Xingye, causing Duan Xingye to complete the picnic task alone.

This wasn’t even the most critical point. With Duan Xingye’s cooking skills, the score would likely be at the bottom, affecting the points. If they didn’t get first place and couldn’t stay in House No. 1, he wouldn’t get a good look again.

Cheng Duzhou swallowed gently and kicked the gravel on the ground.

He wasn’t actually afraid of Duan Xingye, unless he felt he had indeed done something wrong. Only then would he uncontrollably feel pressure when facing Duan Xingye.

Xiao Jiahui passed by at this time and asked with a smile, “Why not go in?”

Cheng Duzhou licked his lips, harboring an uneasy heart, and lifted the tent flap.

Duan Xingye stood by the table organizing ingredients, lowering his eyelashes in thought.

After last night’s failure, he had to adjust his strategy today.

Acting cute to Cheng Duzhou didn’t work; Cheng Duzhou didn’t buy it.

So what is cute?

Cute means worthy of being loved. All in all, cute isn’t necessarily limited to appearance. If the personality is cute, it can still move people.

Duan Xingye stopped his movements.

With Cheng Duzhou’s depth of thought, maybe he looked at inner beauty.

He wasn’t cute, perhaps because he always appeared too domineering.

Right at this moment.

The tent flap was lifted, and Cheng Duzhou lowered his head slightly to walk in.

The two came face to face.

Stillness for two seconds.

Duan Xingye blinked and said, “Back?”

Just as he was trying to find a topic, he glimpsed the broccoli in Cheng Duzhou’s basket.

Duan Xingye quickly sorted out his emotions, curled his lips, his eyes and brows melting like snow instantly: “Actually, it’s quite good that you chose broccoli. We don’t have to be in a group.”

A chill instantly climbed up Cheng Duzhou’s spine to the back of his head; danger warnings began to sound.

He could hear the sarcasm. Plus, the sweeter Duan Xingye smiled, the angrier he was inside. His rage bar was already full.

Cheng Duzhou wanted to say something, but lowered his eyes, sitting crampedly by the table. Thinking for a moment, he said, “I thought a bit too much at the time… I’ll help you when cooking later.”

“No need.” Duan Xingye poured a cup of water from the kettle, his tone unconsciously carrying a bit of gentle sweetness. “I’m fine. It’s just like playing a game anyway. As long as you are happy.”

Cheng Duzhou lifted his eyes to glance quickly at Duan Xingye, his heart half-cold, suddenly realizing this was a high-end game.

“Tired, right?” Duan Xingye handed him the disposable cup. “Drink some water.”

Cheng Duzhou went silent for a moment, accepting the steaming hot water with both hands—water hot enough to scald off a layer of skin if drunk now: “Thanks…”

Duan Xingye then went around behind Cheng Duzhou, his slender white hands pinching both sides of Cheng Duzhou’s neck.

Immediately felt the muscles under his palms were hard as iron.

“Relax, let me massage you.”

“…”

Cheng Duzhou’s heart was in his throat; it was hard to relax, so he didn’t make a sound.

Duan Xingye couldn’t move Cheng Duzhou’s shoulders, so he pushed forward hard with both hands.

Cheng Duzhou bumped forward. The boiling water he was blowing on splashed onto his lips. Pain made him purse his lips, and he put down the cup.

The tightly strung chord in his heart also snapped at this moment.

“Duan Xingye.”

Duan Xingye looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

Cheng Duzhou grabbed Duan Xingye’s hand, pulled him to the front, lowered his head, his clear jawline moving. After a long while, a breath stuck in his throat:

“If I am wrong, please whip me with the ruler of morality, don’t torture me like this.”

Duan Xingye: “?”

Me torturing you?

The livestream room saw the interaction between the two clearly, the screen filled with “Hahahahahaha”:

President Cheng, looks like people can’t be too good to you!

–

Author’s Note:

Teacher Duan furiously flips table: Not pretending anymore, show’s over.