RSDH CH18

Viewers transformed directly into screaming chickens.

“So sweet!!! Investing in Lu Ye Shu Huai never loses!!!”

“Already made GIF cutouts, help yourselves on Weibo.”

“President Cheng seems to have that pheromone addiction syndrome; the second he gets close to Teacher Duan, he can’t hold back in every possible way.”

“Although inappropriate, this is exactly how I huff my cat—just completely overwhelmed with love, loving it to death.”

His lips felt cool and slightly moist. Duan Xingye subconsciously pursed them, quickly darting a glance toward the streaming phone.

Even from a distance, the bullet comments could still be seen rolling across the screen at an astonishing speed.

Unable to tell whether he felt mortified or humiliated, Duan Xingye grabbed Cheng Duzhou and squeezed through the narrow sliding door into the inner cabin. “Get inside!”

The sliding door clicked shut with a sharp thud.

Bullet comments: Don’t leave! What can’t you say in front of the family?!

Duan Xingye slid the door shut, dragged out Cheng Duzhou’s suitcase, and laid it flat on the floor.

He was thoroughly unaccustomed to such a sudden kiss; Cheng Duzhou had never kissed him in front of outsiders before.

Still, he didn’t dwell on it. For two people certified and licensed in their marriage, no intimate act on camera was anything to make a fuss about.

Unzipping the suitcase, he personally retrieved clothes for Cheng Duzhou: “Do you have any idea how many people are watching you right now?”

Holding the towel, Cheng Duzhou gently dried his hair. Lifting his eyes to look at Duan Xingye’s visibly agitated face, his heart stirred, feeling as though the room was practically drowning in the scent of vinegar.

“I know.” His voice carried a pleased, tender softness as he asked, “Do you care that much?”

“Of course I care!” Duan Xingye forcefully yanked a cobalt-blue dress shirt from the bottom of the suitcase and shoved it over. “The entire livestream is laughing… laughing… Tsk, with your back looking like that, do you have the nerve to walk around shirtless? Everyone in the stream is making memes; do I not deserve any dignity?!”

“…”

Cheng Duzhou’s burning enthusiasm was instantly doused in freezing cold water. His smile vanished completely, his dark eyes reverting once more to their unreadable, emotionless state.

He glanced at Duan Xingye, then at the shirt, making no move to take it. Instead, he walked over to the bedside and sat down, slumping his head to scrub his hair with the towel covering half his face.

After a long pause, he muttered faintly:

“You don’t care at all…”

“?” Duan Xingye couldn’t fathom why Cheng Duzhou had suddenly turned so gloomy. Walking over, he tossed the shirt beside him, acting haughty and aloof: “Put it on properly before coming out.”

Duan Xingye was just about to leave, but on second thought, stepping outside meant facing the chaotic livestream alone.

He simply sat down by the edge of the bed as well, waiting for Cheng Duzhou.

Inside the cramped bedroom cabin of the RV, only the soft rustling of towel against hair remained.

Duan Xingye raised his hand to inspect his fingers, murmuring with a touch of distressed annoyance: “Cheng Duzhou, my fingernails aren’t that long, are they…”

Cheng Duzhou glanced over at Duan Xingye’s hand.

Duan Xingye took the initiative to extend his hand right in front of him.

Duan Xingye’s fingers were exceptionally beautiful—slender, fair, and wrapped in delicate, flawless skin. His nails barely peeked past the fingertips, all exquisitely manicured into rounded arcs, resembling pink seashells tipped with crescent moons.

Even among men, such nails weren’t long. However, Duan Xingye was brutally ruthless when carried away; every time he felt too good, his nails would dig mercilessly into Cheng Duzhou’s flesh with zero regard for his partner’s wellbeing.

Pulling down the towel, Cheng Duzhou said calmly, “Let me see.”

Very cooperatively, Duan Xingye pushed his hand forward a bit more.

Cheng Duzhou lowered his head, opened his mouth, caught Duan Xingye’s index finger between his teeth, and bit down firmly.

Inside the shut bedroom of the RV, the Little Prince of Iron Lungs suddenly let out an ear-piercing scream:

“Ah—!!! Cheng Duzhou, stop biting!!!”

The bullet comments froze for a tenth of a second before rolling past at warp speed once more.

“FBI! Open the door!”

“Gasp! Biting where?!”

“Chat, don’t get dirty-minded, it’s definitely not there.”

Cheng Duzhou kept his teeth clamped around Duan Xingye’s index finger, refusing to let go, lifting a cool, indifferent gaze to glare at him.

I was seen naked by everyone, and you don’t even give a damn. Bite you to death.

At 7:00 PM, the seaside banquet officially began.

Tonight’s scene featured all the guest couples together, so the moment the clock struck, all stream rooms unified into the production crew’s main broadcast channel.

On the sandy beach not far from the RVs, a long dining table had been laid out, draped with a pristine white tablecloth that fluttered gently in the sea breeze. Atop the table sat beautifully plated seafood delicacies, interspersed with candelabras glowing with dreamy flame and white roses.

It was a seaside banquet brimming with romantic island atmosphere.

Viewers flooded the chat: Tears of envy are leaking from the corners of my mouth.

From now until the end of the banquet, the visuals across all four stream rooms would remain identical, rendering viewer ratings meaningless. In response, the production crew opened a flower gifting channel. If viewers appreciated a couple’s performance, they could send flowers. The couple with the highest flower count by the end of the banquet would receive a special, exquisite gift awarded by the production team.

Before making their appearance, the guests had consciously dusted off the afternoon’s grime, changing into attire far more vibrant than what they had worn during the outdoor missions.

The production crew knew how to build an atmosphere, guiding the couples to enter one by one via walkie-talkie cues.

First up were Huang Liang and Tao Ziyi.

Bending their waists, the two stepped out of the cramped minivan, steadying themselves on the sandy ground while leaning on each other. Both wore matching white suits, their expressions long wiped clean of the embarrassment from when they had first arrived at camp.

Facing the camera, Tao Ziyi linked his arm through Huang Liang’s, smiling and waving at the audience.

Their fans erupted in excitement immediately, showering them with rainbow-fart praise.

“The Huang Tao CP is truly the sweetest!”

“Wearing white suits to a banquet—the sense of ceremony is off the charts! Huang Tao have always been so attentive to each other.”

“Sending all my flowers to you two!”

“Feels like Huang Tao won by a landslide the moment they walked out.”

Behind the cameras sat and stood a crowd of staff members, clapping for the arriving guests to elevate the energy on set.

Next was RV #3.

Young starlet Wu Enqi and her husband Wu Hao made a dazzling entrance. The wife wore a fluffy, nude-colored dress looking youthful and playful, while the husband had a sweater casually draped over his shoulders—relaxed and leisure-chic. They received equally enthusiastic applause.

In front of RV #2, TV Queen Jiang Li donned a long black-and-white column dress—simple and elegant, yet commanding an undeniable presence. Her husband, Xiao Jiahui, was a prominent e-commerce entrepreneur whose smile exuded affable prosperity. This long-married veteran couple commanded a legion of CP fans, and cheers rooting for them dominated the chat for a time.

Finally, the camera panned to the ultra-luxurious RV #1.

A few seconds of silence hung over the clearing.

The vehicle door swung open.

Duan Xingye disembarked first, with Cheng Duzhou following closely behind.

The moment they stepped out, the bullet comments went absolutely berserk.

Duan Xingye’s ethereal, translucent complexion elevated the show’s aesthetic class by an entire tier. Underneath, he wore an amber-yellow shirt; perhaps sensitive to the cold, he had a windbreaker casually draped over his shoulders, with only his fingertips peeking from the cuffs. Amidst the aura of aristocratic refinement radiating from him, there was just the right touch of nonchalant ease.

Cheng Duzhou’s cobalt-blue dress shirt brought out his skin tone magnificently, reflecting harmoniously against the deep ocean behind him. The hem of his shirt was tucked neatly into his trousers, accentuating his towering height and long legs. The logo at the center of his belt was trimmed in silver thread, complemented by a minimalist silver brooch on his chest—subtly gleaming yet understated.

Longtime fans could tell that such a flamboyant color and accessory setup weren’t Cheng Duzhou’s usual style. Yet one had to admit, Cheng Duzhou pulled off the flair effortlessly, radiating a refreshing, head-turning crispness.

Both possessed impeccable fashion sense. Neither had deliberately catered to the other’s outfit, yet their shirts were equally eye-catching and their presence was equally regal and imposing. Standing together, their striking height difference created an instant feast for the eyes, prompting their rapidly swelling CP fanbase to ship them into oblivion with a single shared frame.

“Lu Ye Shu Huai looks so ridiculously good together!”

“If these two went clubbing together, they’d blow the roof off the place.”

“Hahahahaha, by comparison, Tao Ziyi and Huang Liang look like two hotel banquet waiters.”

“President Cheng’s suitcase was packed by Teacher Duan, which means this entire outfit was picked out by Teacher Duan.”

“I was wondering why President Cheng looked a bit strange today—strangely gorgeous.”

“So they’re currently wearing exactly what the other person loves to see on them! Too sweet!”

In the stream, the flower count for [Lu Ye Shu Huai] spiked aggressively.

On the beach, the production crew’s applause was thunderous and prolonged, with someone even letting out a sharp, approving whistle.

Evidently, there were closet CP shippers hiding among the crew.

After the entrance showcase concluded, everyone gathered around the long white table, seating themselves alternately in pairs.

With the banquet just getting underway, everyone began with appetizers.

At that moment, the production crew wheeled out an LCD television, playing highlights from the afternoon’s recording to provide dinner conversation.

The edited clips had been carefully curated, sending everyone into chuckles.

Soon, the segment played Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye’s chemistry test at the first checkpoint.

Duan Xingye set down his chopsticks, slightly pulling back his expression.

Watching other couples’ clips was entertaining, but watching his own was always slightly embarrassing.

On screen, the question was revealed: [Wedding anniversary.]

Leaning forward with keen interest, Jiang Li remarked, “This one is easy. Nobody would get this wrong, right?”

The whiteboards were revealed, showing two wildly different dates.

“Aiya! How did you two manage that?” Jiang Li clapped her hands in sympathetic dismay. “Getting such an important date mixed up!”

Immediately following:

—”It’s not incorrect. The two of us are referring to the exact same day. The third day of the second lunar month in 2021 corresponds to March 15th on the solar calendar.”

—”Really?”

—”…The third day of the second lunar month was auspicious for marriage, calculated by asking your grandfather for your eight characters of birth.”

“Oooooh~~~”

Seeing the twist, both women let out teasing, suggestive coos simultaneously.

“Not bad, President Cheng, very attentive.” After praising him, Jiang Li nudged her husband with an elbow: “Look at you. When we picked our wedding date back then, my mom had to chase you down for your birth chart, and you even scoffed at it as superstition. Is that superstition? That’s a blessing for a blissful marriage! Even youngsters nowadays know to check birth charts before tying the knot.”

Xiao Jiahui raised his hands in surrender, repeating “Yes, yes” repeatedly.

Cupping her cheeks, Wu Enqi’s eyes practically bubbled with starry pink hearts as she looked at Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye: “Choosing such an auspicious date to get married, you two will definitely stay together forever.”

The chat caught the vibe immediately:

“Is Wu Enqi shipping them too now?”

“Hahahahaha, the charm of Lu Ye Shu Huai is genuinely impossible to resist!”

Out of polite courtesy, Cheng Duzhou replied with a thank you.

Fully aware that they were less than three months away from divorce, Duan Xingye said nothing.

Right at that moment.

“How do you all usually celebrate your wedding anniversaries?”

Tao Ziyi abruptly brought up the topic.

Jiang Li smiled and said, “Lao Xiao and I have been married for many years. We’ve grown lazier over time and don’t do all the elaborate ceremony from our youth, but a bouquet of flowers every year is a must.”

Wu Enqi said, “I only recently got married, so our first anniversary hasn’t arrived yet.”

Tao Ziyi shifted his gaze toward Duan Xingye and Cheng Duzhou.

Neither took the bait, keeping their heads down to eat.

Tao Ziyi offered an ambiguous, knowing smile.

Even many viewers picked up on the awkwardness.

“Could it be that Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye don’t celebrate their anniversary?”

“While plenty of couples don’t celebrate anniversaries, with how much Lu Ye Shu Huai loves flexing their affection, that shouldn’t be the case, right?”

“Laughable. Certain CP fans boast every day that they’re real, yet the leads don’t even celebrate their anniversary. Do your faces hurt?”

At this point, Tao Ziyi remarked leisurely, “My husband puts a lot of thought into our anniversary every year. Each gift is more expensive than the last. I tell him there’s no need, but he never listens.”

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Jiang Li lowered her eyes to mask a trace of boredom, clearly seeing through Tao Ziyi’s flaunting intentions.

“Don’t be fooled by his honest exterior; he has an artist’s romance deep in his bones. Last anniversary, something crazy happened,” Tao Ziyi shared with relish. “He had his eye on a limited-edition watch with only a single piece released worldwide, and the auction bidding was exclusively open to private club members. Just to secure membership, he spent hundreds of thousands, all of which I only found out later. On top of that, he put down a six-million-yuan deposit behind my back! I was practically furious to death when I found out. But in the end, that watch was won by an Icelander. My husband was heartbroken over it for a long time, feeling he had failed to give me the best gift.”

For the sake of variety entertainment, Jiang Li chimed in cooperatively: “What kind of watch was it? That expensive?”

“Let me show you.” Tao Ziyi pulled out his phone, tapped it a few times, and cast the image onto the communal LCD screen. “This exact model. Brownish sapphire.”

Wu Enqi let out a soft gasp: “Wow~ So gorgeous.”

Duan Xingye glanced at the television, his expression catching in his throat.

Tao Ziyi grew even more animated: “The full price was nearly twelve million. Tell me, wasn’t Huang Liang crazy? Practically emptying his entire net worth just to buy me a watch?”

Duan Xingye quietly shifted his gaze to Cheng Duzhou beside him.

Cheng Duzhou was busy peeling mantis shrimp, paying him zero attention.

“…”

Huang Liang took a sip of beer and grabbed Tao Ziyi’s hand: “Ziyi, say no more. If I’m giving you something, I must give you the very best—something unique in the entire world. I was just too slow last year and missed it, which I’ve regretted for ages. But don’t worry, in this lifetime, I will definitely buy that watch back for you!”

“You really are…” Tao Ziyi’s eyes grew appropriately rimmed with red. Letting out a soft sigh, he continued, “Later on, on our anniversary, he gave me another watch. It was quite pricey too, but I feel the sentiment hidden behind it is far more precious than the object’s monetary value.”

Fans of the Huang Tao CP were thoroughly moved.

“Huang Liang treats Tao Ziyi with unmatched devotion.”

“So romantic! Insisting on buying something unique in the entire world, because only that is worthy of a unique you.”

“Are my eyes playing tricks on me? Isn’t that Teacher Duan’s watch?”

“??? Certain fans, don’t be ridiculous.”

“The watch is in the hands of an Icelander, can’t you understand plain speech?”

Dabbing the corner of his eye, Tao Ziyi concluded his emotional performance and directed a piercing gaze straight at Duan Xingye: “What about Junior Brother? How do you two celebrate your wedding anniversary?”

Duan Xingye had been zoning out, and suddenly being put on the spot, he looked over. Meeting Tao Ziyi’s eager, gleeful eyes, he understood in an instant.

Tao Ziyi wanted to watch him crash and burn.

“We don’t celebrate.”

Duan Xingye replied concisely.

The atmosphere chilled for a brief second.

Following his initial surprise, Tao Ziyi was overjoyed inwardly, just about to speak.

Duan Xingye straightened his back and said, “Every day is an anniversary for us. Celebrating or not makes no difference.”

“…………”

Bullet comments: Pfft—!!!

Tao Ziyi hastily retorted, “That’s not quite right. It only counts as an anniversary if there’s a sense of ceremony.”

Duan Xingye said, “Cheng Duzhou’s sense of ceremony has always been on point.”

Tao Ziyi clearly didn’t buy it: “Oh? Really?”

Duan Xingye didn’t bother arguing. Seeming to feel warm, he pushed his long coat sleeve all the way up to his elbow and extended his hand toward Cheng Duzhou:

“Help me grab the coconut juice.”

Everyone’s eyes followed the brilliant shimmer of light, landing squarely on Duan Xingye’s snow-white wrist.

Hanging there was a watch bordered with brownish-yellow crystal, extraordinarily striking.

Crucially—it was completely identical to the one displayed on the television screen!

Tao Ziyi’s eyes went entirely round and frozen.

Noticing his gaze, Duan Xingye glanced down at the watch, then looked back at Tao Ziyi with a playful wink:

“Sorry, my hubby made his move first.”

Cheng Duzhou lost his grip on the coconut juice, nearly dropping it, and turned his head to stare at Duan Xingye.

“…”

__

Author’s Note:

President Cheng: He called me hubby.