Lu Nanxun actually laughed when he heard that.
There was even a hint of knowing amusement in his smile, as if he had expected this all along.
Just as expected. This was the real her. How could she possibly let someone get close so easily?
A woman with fangs and sharp edges was even more dazzling.
“If you refuse, I’ll ask again and again until you agree,” he said.
“All right. Dr. Lu, you really are persistent.” Ji Liuyue’s tone was languid, her words carrying a double meaning.
Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes shimmered with tears.
With just one casual glance from her, Lu Nanxun’s cheeks flushed uncontrollably.
A system notification sounded in his ear: Favorability increased.
By now, Lu Nanxun’s favorability had reached 65%, while Xu Jinsi’s had remained stuck at 72% for several days. Perhaps today was the day she needed to add a little fuel to the fire.
The punishment began.
No matter how unwilling Xu Jinsi and Ji Xizhou were, they still had to follow the show’s rules.
Fortunately, Lu Nanxun and Ji Liuyue were sitting next to each other, so neither of them needed to change seats.
Ji Liuyue could not be bothered to get up. She looked at the staff member across from her. “Does the rule say we have to stand while holding hands? Sitting is fine too, right?”
The staff member nodded, indicating that of course it was fine.
Under the eyes of everyone present and all the cameras, Lu Nanxun sat with his back straight, both restrained and nervous.
His fingertips trembled as he slowly extended his hand and asked, “…May I hold your hand?”
Who asked a question like that?
Ji Liuyue was now certain that he really was an old virgin who had never been in love.
She smiled and lowered her voice. “Dr. Lu, you don’t need to ask at a time like this. Just hold my hand.”
Summoning his courage, Lu Nanxun reached out. The moment his broad, warm palm touched her fingers, Ji Liuyue took the initiative and clasped his hand.
Their palms pressed together—one scorching hot, the other icy cold.
Their fingers naturally interlocked, tightening slowly.
A searing yet sinister gaze bore into her from behind. Ji Liuyue knew it belonged to Xu Jinsi, but she ignored it.
There was also a soft snort. That had to be Ji Xizhou. He really was impatient.
Liu Qingye sat beside Lu Nanxun, giving her the best view of everything. She could see the scene clearly, and her expression was complicated, a mixture of frustration and schadenfreude.
She thought to herself: So what if Ji Liuyue is popular? After joining a dating show with so many high-quality male guests, you can only choose one. Once you choose Lu Nanxun, the others will know enough to back off.
Maybe there was still hope for her and the fifth male guest, Ji Xizhou.
As long as Ji Liuyue and Lu Nanxun became an inseparable pair, everything would work out!
The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. Feeling quite pleased with her own cleverness, she called out, “Besides holding hands, you also have to look into each other’s eyes for thirty seconds. You didn’t look at each other just now, so that doesn’t count! You have to start the timer over.”
Lu Nanxun’s entire body felt feverish, his ears bright red. He simply did not dare look into Ji Liuyue’s eyes.
Ji Liuyue had not expected her first ally would be Liu Qingye.
She curved her lips into a smile and said to him, “Dr. Lu, look at me. Why are you avoiding my eyes?”
Her breathy voice was lazy and alluring.
Lu Nanxun’s gaze became even more flustered, but he still remembered that he had to follow the punishment’s rules. His eyes settled quietly on her.
His calm gaze concealed a surging tide.
His mind kept replaying the moments they had spent together over the past few days. He claimed he did not like her, but in truth, his heart had been quietly leaning toward her all along.
Xu Jinsi held a stopwatch in his hand and only felt that time was moving unbearably slowly.
Was this really thirty seconds? Why did it feel more like thirty minutes?
Watching the countdown, he began to call out, “Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four…”
Just as the time was about to run out, Ji Mingtian—who could never read the situation and loved stirring up trouble—shouted, “Three point nine, three point eight, three point seven…”
He was having the time of his life.
That was, until he noticed two undisguised, murderous gazes aimed straight at his forehead.
He glanced at Xu Jinsi and Ji Xizhou.
Ji Mingtian’s mouth snapped shut. He did not dare say another word.
Oh, god!
Guys, I was only trying to liven things up! There’s no need to look at me like that, is there? This is hardly a crime worthy of death!
Finally, the countdown reached one.
Lu Nanxun reluctantly released her hand. Just before their hands parted, Ji Liuyue lightly traced a fingertip across his palm, just as he had done when he handed her the strawberry milk.
Then she withdrew her hand naturally, as if nothing had happened.
Lu Nanxun’s back stiffened. He instinctively looked up at Ji Liuyue—
and crashed into a pair of smiling eyes.
The corners of her lips lifted. “Dr. Lu, you seem nervous. Your palm is even sweaty.”
Lu Nanxun did not deny it.
He admitted frankly, “Because the person sitting across from me is you.”
Their quiet conversation naturally did not escape Xu Jinsi’s notice. He was so furious that he could not speak, his lips pressed into a tight line.
It seemed as though he might tear Lu Nanxun apart at any moment.
“Hurry up and start the next round,” he urged.
The game began again.
Since Lu Nanxun had been the one caught by the crocodile just now, the toy was passed from his position to the next person, and the game continued.
Ji Liuyue looked at the green crocodile, propped her chin on one hand, and casually pressed one of its teeth.
Safe.
Then she nudged the little crocodile onto the table beside her.
Xu Jinsi looked at her unhappily. “Why didn’t you pass it to me?”
Everyone else had passed it to him just now.
Ji Liuyue looked at him. “Because you’re right beside me. You’re so close.”
It was merely a statement, but Xu Jinsi felt instantly delighted upon hearing it. Even his earlier displeasure vanished in a heartbeat.
That was right.
He was the person closest to Liuyue.
Lu Nanxun—hmph, what did he amount to?
And Ji Xizhou was even less worth mentioning! He was still wet behind the ears, nothing more than a green little boy!
Full of anticipation, Xu Jinsi pressed down on a tooth.
Safe.
Disappointed, he shoved the crocodile forward and pushed it irritably toward Ji Xizhou.
Ji Xizhou did not seem to mind. He looked at the crocodile expectantly, then glanced at Ji Liuyue and asked in front of everyone, “Yueyue, if the crocodile bites me, will you take on the dare with me?”
Ji Liuyue answered unhurriedly, “Xu Jinsi only pressed one tooth. The odds of you getting bitten aren’t very high. Just play first and worry about the rest afterward.”
Ji Xizhou smiled with complete confidence.
“I’ve always had terrible luck with games, ever since I was little. So I’m sure I’ll be the one!”
Who would have thought that his unlucky streak in games would become an advantage at a moment like this?
Ji Xizhou appeared to choose a tooth at random.
Click!
The crocodile’s jaws snapped shut, trapping his finger. Ji Xizhou looked as happy as a fool.
He looked toward Ji Liuyue and asked eagerly, “What about now? Will you take on the dare with me?”
It was clearly a punishment, yet when the words came from his mouth, they somehow carried a hint of romance.
Take on an adventure together.
It sounded rather interesting.
Ji Liuyue said, “Sure.”
Then Ji Xizhou drew the punishment: he had to eat one finger biscuit together with a member of the opposite sex, with neither person’s lips allowed to touch it.
