Chapter 32 — The Third Season of the Love Reality Show

Gu Beicheng and the others looked toward the source of the sound. A man dressed completely in black was sprawled on the ground, clutching his camera and shivering in fear.

Mu Ran was seething with anger—those anti-fans had actually followed them onto the cruise ship! She was just about to stride over and snatch the camera away.

“Mu Ran, he’s probably a paparazzo. It couldn’t have been easy for him to sneak in. Are you really going to send him away empty-handed?” Gu Beicheng stepped in front of her, then shot a meaningful glance at the man in black. The terrified paparazzo scrambled to his feet and vanished before their eyes.

Mu Ran stared in disbelief. “Are you joking?”

That man had clearly taken photos of the two of them just now. Unless she was very much mistaken, her name would be trending again tonight! And once Cheng Beigu’s identity as Gu Beicheng was exposed, things would only get worse. Did this man have no sense at all?

“My identity won’t be exposed, and you won’t end up trending,” he said.

Mu Ran shot him a glare, handed his jacket back, and strode off. “Whatever.”

After the Qin family’s party ended, Mu Ran spent a whole day holed up at home. Perhaps because Mu Yuewei was the leading actress of Star City Pictures, the farce on the cruise ship was quickly suppressed. Mu Ran couldn’t help but marvel at the power of capital—Gu Beicheng was a man she absolutely could not get involved with.

——

The third episode arrived as scheduled. The production team and the guests gathered once more on the rooftop of the Star City Hotel, ready to fly by helicopter to Snow Village.

Settled in the aircraft, they looked down over the landscape, watching the green mountains and rivers below gradually give way to a world of white, blanketed in snow and frost.

“Director Gao, will we get to ski? I love skiing most of all!” Yun Fu, dressed in a pink down jacket and a fluffy goose-feather hat, looked adorably plump, her baby face only adding to her charm.

Gao Minglang, his heart racing with excitement—it was his first time in Snow Village—replied, “Yes, one of our tasks is to go skiing.”

Mu Ran shot Gao Minglang a sidelong glance, still holding a grudge over his secret livestreaming stunt.

Sensing the unfriendly gaze, Gao Minglang instinctively glanced at Mu Ran—her expression was anything but pleasant. He forced a laugh. “Haha, everyone, rest assured. We definitely won’t secretly livestream you again next time.”

All eight guests rolled their eyes at him: And you still have the nerve to say that...

“Director, it’s so cold in Snow Village. Are there a lot of outdoor tasks? I can’t stand the cold!” Gao Tiange admired her freshly done nails, her eyelids drooping with arrogant indifference.

“Don’t worry, everyone. There aren’t many outdoor tasks. The Snow Village trip is just two days and one night, and the accommodations we’ve arranged are very warm and comfortable. Most of the filming will be indoors.”

Qi Jun glanced at Bai Zehan, then looked toward Gao Minglang. “Director, we’re not parachuting out of the helicopter this time, are we? I’m worried our great actor Bai might have a heart attack. By the way, Bai, is your injury any better?”

Bai Zehan’s expression darkened. He shot Qi Jun a disdainful look. “No need to worry about me. I’m fine.”

“All right, our livestream is officially starting. The helicopter will be landing in Snow Village shortly. Please, everyone, make sure you’re dressed warmly.”

—

Comments scrolled across the screen—

“My hometown is Snow Village!”
“Isn’t it minus thirty degrees there now? What’s Fu Jiao Jiao doing wearing just a camisole and mini skirt?”
“Why isn’t Best Actor Bai sitting with Gao Tiange?”
“Cheng Beigu is looking at Mu Ran with so much love.”

“Jiao Jiao, is that really all you’re wearing? Snow Village is freezing—if you catch a cold, you’ll be miserable.” Gao Minglang looked at Fu Jiao Jiao, who was dressed far too lightly. This wasn’t the capital with its twenty-degree weather; even at its warmest, Snow Village was still minus twenty.

Fu Jiao Jiao waved him off, glancing anxiously as Bai Zehan disembarked. “It’s fine. I have a cashmere coat—it’s very warm.”

Gao Minglang could only shake his head as he watched her hurry after Bai Zehan.

The production team and the other seven guests were bundled up in layer upon layer—down jackets, thermal pants, snow boots, army coats. None of them cared about how they looked; warmth was all that mattered. Only Fu Jiao Jiao insisted on style over comfort.

“It’s so cold! Why is there so much snow? How am I supposed to walk in these high heels?” Fu Jiao Jiao began complaining the moment she got off the helicopter. Seeing Bai Zehan get farther and farther away, she grew even more anxious.

Snow Village wasn’t a city, but a small village in the far north. The roads and houses were all buried under knee-deep snow; cars couldn’t get through.

Even bundled up, everyone felt the biting wind, let alone Fu Jiao Jiao, exposed in her skimpy outfit.

“Director, how much longer till we reach the hotel?” Fu Jiao Jiao shouted from the back of the group.

“There’s no hotel! Just a family inn—hang in there, five more minutes and we’ll be there!” Gao Minglang called back.

No one spoke as they trudged forward, pausing occasionally to take in the scenery, while Fu Jiao Jiao was reduced to tears by the cold.

“Mu Ran! Since we’re sisters, can I wear your army coat?”

Mu Ran looked at her, face flushed and nearly frozen, and replied coldly, “If I give you my coat, what am I supposed to wear? Don’t you have any common sense? Only a fool would wear a miniskirt in Snow Village.”

“You—!” Fu Jiao Jiao was shivering so hard she could barely speak.

“Move aside.”

Gu Beicheng’s dark, fathomless eyes bored into Fu Jiao Jiao’s tear-streaked, runny-nosed face, his aura both commanding and intimidating.

Already frozen to the core, she now felt a fear that ran even deeper. “I was just asking Mu Ran for a favor. There’s no need to be so protective.”

Fu Jiao Jiao turned and chased after Bai Zehan. “Mr. Bai, can I borrow your coat? I’m really freezing.”

Once, Bai Zehan would have played the caring gentleman, concerned for the poor woman before him. But recently, caught up in scandal, he couldn’t risk any rumors with other women—especially since his on-screen partner this season was Yun Fu. He was under no obligation to help this foolish woman.

Feigning difficulty, he nodded toward Qi Jun behind him. “Jiao Jiao, I’m not feeling well lately—I can’t handle the cold. Why don’t you ask Qi Jun? He’s wearing plenty.”

With that, Bai Zehan turned and continued on.

“Fu Jiao Jiao, are you planning to swim in the snow? Dressed like that? With such a fiery temper, too?” Qi Jun eyed her, amused. She wore a white camisole, a pink leather skirt, bare legs in the cold, high heels, and only a thin coat over it all.

Clearly, Fu Jiao Jiao was not thinking straight.

“Qi Jun, you’re my on-screen partner. Give me your down jacket—I'm freezing,” she pleaded.

Qi Jun was unmoved, cursing her shamelessness inwardly. “You wanted to show off, so why should I help you? Besides, you look good—those red stockings are something.”

He brushed her aside and continued forward, humming a tune.

“I said I’m cold! Didn’t you hear me? You’re my partner—why won’t you give me your jacket?”

Fu Jiao Jiao glanced at her own legs, red from the cold, feeling utterly aggrieved as she doggedly trailed after Qi Jun. “Qi Jun! Think carefully—if you don’t give me your jacket, I won’t go on dates with you!”

Finally fed up, Qi Jun gave her a hard shove, sending her sprawling into the snow.

Fu Jiao Jiao looked around, incredulous, at the snow and at the others looming over her. “You’re all bullying me! No one will give me a coat! Does no one have any team spirit?”

Qi Jun, disgusted, wiped his hands and gestured toward the camera. “Are you completely letting yourself go? Where’s your professionalism as an actress? At least put on a show.”

Comments scrolled by—

“Can Fu Jiao Jiao quit the show?”
“Agreed—she’s the most petty, shameless actress I’ve ever seen!”
“Nobody owes her anything. Why should they give her their clothes?”
“Truly shameless. Not a single woman on this dating show is normal.”
“Mu Ran is great!”
“Yun Fu is nice, too!”
“Didn’t you see Yun Fu shade Mu Ran last episode?”
“Be rational, it’s all scripted.”

“All right, Jiao Jiao, you’re being unreasonable now. I warned everyone to dress warmly—and I reminded you too. If you ignored it, that’s on you. How can you expect others to give you their clothes now?” Gao Minglang would have ignored her tantrum if he weren’t worried it would affect the livestream’s viewership.

“We’ve arrived at the family inn—everyone, come in and warm up,” called out Assistant Director Chen Liang.

“Wow, is it really this rundown?”