Chapter 64
Out on the ocean, the group continued their game while paddling.
“Bei Yumeng, it’s your turn.”
Bei Yumeng answered openly: “Ningning was my senior, a year ahead of me. One time I passed the dance studio and saw her dancing. I thought she was amazing, so I often secretly watched her. Until one time, she caught me. She told me to be her girlfriend, and she’d dance for me every day for the rest of her life. I foolishly agreed to be her girlfriend, and we secretly kissed in a corner of the dance studio.”
“So, did your Ningning dance for you every day after that?”
“Not at all! Only four times in total: once when she proposed, once when we got married, once when I hurt my back and was resting, and once last night. Four times in total.”
“Hahaha, Beibei really got the short end of the stick!” “Don’t worry, life is long. When you have kids, Ningning will definitely dance for you and your daughter!”
Bei Yumeng: “Next question, Sister Xia, you ask.”
Xia Ziyu: “What is your sweetest memory together? The Omega must answer. This time, Beibei, you go first.”
Bei Yumeng recalled: “The sweetest memory… that would be the proposal. Ningning always irritates me. A few times, I thought, I should just break up with her and let her cry by herself.”
“Then how did you two stay together?”
“Because I couldn’t bear to leave. Even though Ningning, that straight girl, always frustrates me to death, she’s actually quite good most of the time. That time, we planned to go see the Sky Tower together. But because of something—I can’t even remember what it was now—we had a big fight. I told her never to come find me again!”
Zhang Ningning added: “Because I accidentally ruined the hat she treasured and wanted to take photos with, and I couldn’t find an identical replacement.”
“Right, right, that was it.”
Someone asked: “Ningning, did you really leave?”
Zhang Ningning: “Yes, I left. I was genuinely angry. I didn’t ruin it on purpose, but she kept nagging about it forever. I was so upset, I just left.”
Someone commented: “It’s normal for young people to fight when they’re hot-headed.”
Bei Yumeng: “Yes, that’s exactly right. Later, I went alone. I saw everyone there was paired up. I regretted it a bit. The hat was ruined, so what? It wasn’t a big deal if I didn’t wear it for photos. I wanted to call Ningning and ask her to come, but then I thought, She ruined my hat and then got mad and left? So I didn’t call her.”
“What happened next?”
“Then, she suddenly showed up. It was so cold, snowing heavily, and she took off her down jacket and danced on the Sky Tower wearing only a thin dance outfit.
“Everyone around was stunned, thinking it was some kind of performance art. After she finished the dance, she proposed to me.”
Bei Yumeng sounded fierce when she spoke, “She didn’t even prepare a ring.” But she was beaming with happiness. “I’ll never forget her face red with cold, her fingers frozen stiff.”
Everyone asked, “Ningning, do you have anything to say?”
Zhang Ningning laughed: “It was unforgettable! I was freezing! My movements weren’t even up to standard. If my teacher saw it, I’d definitely get a failing grade. Fortunately, my wife approved it.”
Everyone laughed, looking at the bickering yet warm and sweet couple with smiles on their faces.
Xia Ziyu: “I’ll go next. I envy Beibei for meeting such a wonderful person so young. I didn’t have that luck in high school or college.”
“Did you run into a scummy girl?”
“Something like that. When I discovered the person wasn’t honest, I didn’t pursue it. It never really even started, anyway.
“I’m a slow-burner and tend to go with the flow. Later, when I met Guan Guan, I found her very interesting, very different. I felt so relaxed and unrestrained with her. So we started dating.
“At home, we sometimes wrap ourselves in a long scarf, heads huddled together like two little birds, snuggling on the sofa watching TV. We talk about the plot as we watch, and I can lean into her arms anytime. I find that incredibly romantic and fulfilling.”
Guan Yuexin looked at her, smiling. “Xiaxia, we have many more winters ahead, wrapped in one scarf, watching TV together. I suddenly wish winter would come quickly.”
Xia Ziyu curved her lips. “I think when we finish filming and go home, it might already be snowing there. Well, who’s next?”
“I’ll go,” Lin Xianglin interjected. “Coincidentally, like Xiaxia and Beibei, mine was also in winter.”
“The year before last, it was my birthday. We had planned to celebrate together because I had a rare gap in my schedule. But that day, I ended up rehearsing very late for the next concert stop. It was already 1:00 AM, and my birthday was over. I didn’t expect Ren Yu to be waiting for me outside the rehearsal space. She said as long as the sun hadn’t risen, it was still my birthday. She knew my diet couldn’t handle high sugar or high calories because of my career, so she brought me a jar of chicken broth and turnip stew. She kept it warm by holding it in her arms all the way there.”
Lin Xianglin blinked slightly, pushing away the moisture in her eyes. “I still remember that jar of turnip soup.”
Wen Shuyan: “Was that chicken and turnip stew very delicious?”
Lin Xianglin took a breath. “I didn’t get to eat it. As soon as I took it, I slipped. I fell, stew and all, and it spilled all over my clothes.”
Everyone laughed rudely. “Hahaha, that’s rough.”
“Fortunately, I was wearing a down jacket, so the fall wasn’t too bad. Ren Yu carried me on her back to a community clinic.”
Lin Xianglin lowered her head, pursing her lips.
She would never forget that night two years ago. The streets at 1:00 AM. Ren Yu carried her on her back, running fast but trying to maintain stability.
She also remembered Ren Yu’s anxious, sympathetic voice: “Linlin, does it hurt a lot? Bear with it. We’ll be there soon.”
The early morning in winter was freezing, but Lin Xianglin felt incredibly warm resting on her back.
“Even though I didn’t get to eat the stew, I will always remember that night.”
Xianglin’s sweet memory was a chicken and turnip stew-flavored down jacket.
Everyone turned to Song Tingxue. “Sister Song, your turn.”
“Mine? Mine is very simple. It was early autumn. A-Yan brought me a cake, and we ate it together under a sycamore tree. She asked me if it was delicious. I said yes, very delicious.”
Song Tingxue reminisced, transported back to that afternoon when she ate cake with Miss Yan.
Miss Yan smiled at her: “Is it delicious, Xiaoxue?”
“Y-yes, delicious, very delicious.”
“Here, this strawberry is for you.” Miss Yan put the strawberry onto the tray in her hand. “Xiaoxue is a beauty, you’ll be a great beauty when you grow up. Don’t be unhappy. Try to smile more. People who smile often have good luck.”
The 17-year-old Song Tingxue was captivated by those bright, gentle eyes. She heard her heartbeat quickening and felt her face burning. She could only lower her head shyly.
She didn’t know how Miss Yan could tell she was unhappy, but it didn’t matter. Just seeing Miss Yan made her happy.
Later, she did grow into a great beauty. However, she didn’t become the smiling person Miss Yan hoped for.
Instead, she disliked smiling. Because of her cold, distant aura, after becoming famous, she earned the title of Iceberg Beauty, Iceberg Movie Queen.
Only she knew that she didn’t hate smiling; her smile was only for Miss Yan.
Bei Yumeng asked curiously: “What kind of cake? Was it that delicious?”
“It wasn’t from a famous trendy bakery. Just a strawberry cake.”
The group talked for a long time, suddenly realizing that they hadn’t paddled very far while chatting. Even Sea Fairy Island was still far ahead.
“Sisters, let’s put some muscle into it!”
“Let’s sing a song! An inspiring one! If we get pumped up, we’ll definitely paddle faster.”
“What should we sing?” The Eight Daughters of Wealth were stumped.
Suddenly, a cameraman shouted out: “The great river flows to the east, the stars in the sky look toward the Big Dipper!”
Everyone cheered. “Ah! The Hero’s Song! Let’s all be heroes!”
So the group of guests started singing.
“Oh-yeah, oh-yeah, to the Big Dipper! A bowl of wine for life-and-death friends!”
…
Two hours later, the guests, having consumed all their rations, began to groan.
“Save me! I really can’t paddle anymore. Just let me float.”
“My arms are about to break!”
“I’m about to go offline. Battery power is critically low.”
“Look at me! I’m just an emotionless paddling machine now.”
“Ahhh! I want to eat hot pot while paddling!”
“I want meat! Lots and lots of meat! I’ll fight anyone who stops me!”
At the mention of food, everyone looked at Executive Head Chef Yan.
“General Manager Yan, let’s have hot pot tonight.”
“Yes! I want to eat beef rolls, lamb rolls, meatballs, and duck intestines! Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.”
Wen Shuyan’s arms remained steady as she continued to paddle. Song Tingxue in the front was exhausted.
Wen Shuyan asked with a smile, “You want hot pot?”
“Yes!”
“Then what are you waiting for? Paddle! For the hot pot!”
Everyone got excited. “For the hot pot, paddle!”
“Left, right, left, right…”
That evening, the villa’s dining room was especially lively. Hot pot steamed heartily, with the Yuan-Yang (split) broth bubbling vigorously.
“I’m so exhausted today! I’m completely worn out!”
“Me too. I’m practically paralyzed. My arms are still twitching.” Guan Yuexin’s chopsticks, holding a beef roll, trembled. Clatter, the meat fell back into the bowl.
Xia Ziyu said gently, “I’ll help you cook whatever you want to eat.”
“I want quail eggs.”
Bei Yumeng scooped up a large mouthful of meat, dipped it in sauce, and ate it contentedly. “I was starving! I almost died at sea.”
Zhang Ningning, having expended too much physical energy, ate a few pieces of tofu himself and focused on cooking meat for his wife.
“Songsong, the lamb rolls are ready.” Wen Shuyan placed the lamb, cooked in the non-spicy bone broth, into Songsong’s bowl. The bowl also contained mushrooms and baby bok choy, all cooked by A-Yan for her.
“Let it cool before you eat it. Eat something else first.”
“Mhm.” Song Tingxue was also extremely tired. All trace of her cool, aloof iceberg demeanor was gone. Leaning against her beloved Alpha, her face held a soft, sweet smile.
Lin Xianglin fished two shrimp out of the spicy broth and enjoyed them. “It was so hard to earn this meal! Paddling for five and a half hours! I feel like we just finished a Women’s Kayak Marathon.”
Ren Yu, eating potatoes fished from the non-spicy broth, said, “If there were really such a race, let’s sign up together! And celebrate with hot pot after finishing!”
“Great idea!” The suggestion met with unanimous approval.
“Especially General Manager Yan. She has to be there.”
Wen Shuyan raised her cup. “No problem. Next time, count me in for the Eight Daughters of Wealth Women’s Kayak Team.”
The group talked and laughed, eating for two hours. The atmosphere grew more and more cheerful.
Someone proposed: “Each Alpha says one thing to their wife, and then gives a kiss.”
Zhang Ningning looked at Bei Yumeng. “Wife, you look more beautiful every time I see you!”
Bei Yumeng was thrilled. “Really?”
The two smiled and lightly touched lips, smack.
Guan Yuexin: “Wife, thank you for your hard work today, letting you take the lead.”
Xia Ziyu smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear. The two also lightly kissed, smack.
Only Wen Shuyan and Ren Yu were left. Ren Yu said, “Sister Yan, you go first.”
Wen Shuyan: “Songsong, how about I give you a massage tonight?”
Song Tingxue blushed slightly. “Okay.”
Their lips met in a soft, light kiss, smack.
Wen Shuyan thought, It’s a good thing this isn’t live. Otherwise, the audience would be seeing red and going crazy! Who knows what they’d imagine? They’d probably throw this freeloader nobody out of the galaxy.
Finally, it was Ren Yu’s turn. Ren Yu took a sip of fruit wine, then another.
Everyone found her nervousness awkward yet funny. Why was she so nervous about kissing her own wife?
“Linlin, can I… kiss you?”
“!!!”
Everyone was instantly excited. The production team even pointed all their cameras at them. The director screamed inwardly with excitement. These guests are delivering! Film every pore!
Lin Xianglin didn’t refuse. She lowered her eyes, the corners of her eyes turning red. “I just ate spicy food.”
Everyone laughed, shaking with amusement.
Wen Shuyan: “It’s fine. You already tasted spicy bullfrog. This is nothing to fear.”
The laughter grew louder. “Spicy is spicy! Professor Ren! Don’t be timid!”
Amidst the group’s heckling, Ren Yu tried hard to control the rising and falling of her chest. She leaned in, reaching out to kiss the sweetness she hadn’t re-experienced in so long.
The moment their lips touched, both their hearts trembled simultaneously.
The brief kiss ended quickly.
Dinner concluded, and everyone, dragging their half-crippled bodies, happily returned to their rooms.
Wen Shuyan felt bad for her wife. “Paddling for so long, Wife, your arms must be too sore to even lift. Songsong, let me wash your hair.”
Song Tingxue’s arms were indeed useless. She truly couldn’t lift them an inch. “Then I’ll sit down, and you can wash it for me.”
In the bathroom, Song Tingxue sat naked on the small stool, her head covered in white shampoo bubbles. Wen Shuyan stood behind her, wearing only underwear, her fingers gently massaging her scalp, moving back and forth.
“Wife, does that feel good?”
“Yes, it feels good.”
“After you’re done, go outside. After I shower, I’ll blow-dry your hair.”
“Don’t your arms hurt?”
“I’m an Alpha. Besides, I sat in the back and didn’t have to paddle constantly like you. It was easier for me.”
When Song Tingxue finished her bath and shower, she was fragrant and white. As Wen Shuyan wrapped a bathrobe around her, Song Tingxue suddenly hugged her. “Then hurry up and shower.”
Wen Shuyan patted the fair, soft Songsong. “Quickly. Wait for me outside.”
A quarter of an hour later, Wen Shuyan emerged, also wrapped in a bathrobe, a white towel turban on her head.
“Songsong,” Wen Shuyan’s voice cut off. She walked to the bed. Songsong had collapsed onto the bed and seemed to have fallen asleep, still wearing the bathrobe.
Wen Shuyan hesitated for a moment but woke her up. “Songsong, can you blow-dry your hair before sleeping? You’ll catch a cold.”
Songsong mumbled an acknowledgment, half-asleep.
Wen Shuyan fetched the hairdryer, gently helped her sit up, and began to blow-dry her hair.
The hairdryer buzzed loudly. Song Tingxue was too tired to keep her eyes open, her head drooping slightly. She sat obediently, motionless, allowing “Tony Wen” to work.
Fortunately, Songsong’s hair wasn’t very long, and she didn’t need complicated styling. Wen Shuyan finished in minutes and even brushed her hair beautifully.
“Sleep now. Have a good rest.”
She untied Songsong’s bathrobe, helped her lie down, and tucked her in. Only then did she return to the bathroom to dry her own hair.
Click. Wen Shuyan turned off the light and slipped into bed, ready to sleep.
In the darkness, the person next to her suddenly turned over and hugged her.
“Why did you take so long?” The tone was slightly resentful.
“You weren’t asleep?”
“I was waiting for you… Wait? Why are you still wearing pajamas?”
“I saw you were so tired, so I didn’t get them on you.”
“No. You can’t wear them. You have to be like me.” With that, she tried to pull off Wen Shuyan’s pajamas.
Wen Shuyan laughed softly, seeing her this sleepy yet still insistent. “Alright, alright, the same, the same. I’ll take them off myself.”
Wen Shuyan quickly stripped off her pajamas. Like Songsong, both were left wearing only their underwear.
Song Tingxue pressed herself against her partner contentedly, hugging her neck and kissing her, licking her like a small cat. She even cupped Wen Shuyan’s face, her soft, wet tongue licking and restlessly nipping at her gland.
Wen Shuyan: “!!!”
Her heart hammered wildly. She tried desperately to maintain the last of her self-control. “Songsong, aren’t you going to sleep?”
Song Tingxue didn’t answer. Instead, she pressed her entire body onto Wen Shuyan, gripping the cedar-scented gland with increasing force.
Wen Shuyan, an Alpha, found her gland the most vital and sensitive spot. She couldn’t resist her wife’s provocation. With a sudden flip, she pinned her wife beneath her. Burning, passionate kisses rained down on Song Tingxue’s white shoulders and neck.
At this point, Song Tingxue was definitely not going to sleep.
In the middle of the night, Wen Shuyan woke up to use the restroom and heard water loudly running down the pipes from the upstairs bathroom. In the deep silence of the night, the sound was exceptionally clear.
Lin Xianglin and Ren Yu lived upstairs.
Wen Shuyan sat on the toilet, drowsily thinking, Why are they showering so late? Aren’t they tired after paddling all day?
But the next second, faint, muffled sounds—indescribable—drifted into Wen Shuyan’s ears.
Wen Shuyan: “…”
She climbed back into bed, hugged her wife, and went back to sleep. She suddenly realized, She couldn’t do that with her wife in the bathroom anymore. Everyone could hear it.
The next day, the guests got into the car and drove to the next filming location, Shiqing Mountain, near S City, which had a famous zoo and a well-known hot spring resort.
They interacted closely with the furry animals at the zoo, picked wild mushrooms on the mountain, explored the mysterious Immortal’s Cave, soaked in hot springs, and played water volleyball.
Four days later, filming reached its final episode.
Wen Shuyan prepared one last grand meal for everyone in the kitchen. Guan Yuexin assisted her, taking notes on her cooking tips.
In the living room, Lin Xianglin and Bei Yumeng were setting the table, styling the freshly picked wildflowers and weeds in vases.
Xia Ziyu and Song Tingxue sat outside peeling carrots, lettuce, and garlic.
After a while, Wen Shuyan came out, waiting for the carrots to be cooked. She saw the carrot in her wife’s hand, which had been excessively whittled down and was still shrinking. She gasped.
Song Tingxue: “How is it? Isn’t it perfectly round?”
“Yang Guifei has turned into Zhao Feiyan. And you call that round?” Wen Shuyan sighed. “My poor, succulent carrot. Before you ruthlessly carve it any further, let me put it out of its misery.”
Xia Ziyu next to her chuckled softly. “General Manager Yan, you’ve become humorous.”
Wen Shuyan: “Your Alpha is next to me all day. Writer Guan is very witty, and she’s rubbing off on me.”
Zhang Ningning and Ren Yu were washing vegetables and mushrooms.
Zhang Ningning looked at Wen Shuyan and commented with admiration, “Sister Yan has a great personality, cooks wonderfully, and is very caring. Movie Queen Song found a great Alpha partner.”
Ren Yu nodded. “Yes. Even though Sister Song is a Movie Queen and a top star, and Sister Yan has less public recognition…” Ren Yu kept her words very conservative, not daring to say Yan Qingqi was a kept Alpha who lived off his wife. “But Sister Yan is genuinely a good person. They are always happy and warm together. It feels very comforting.”
Zhang Ningning agreed. “My Beibei is much more famous than me, but she said I’m her only one. Even if she becomes a top star, her wife will always be me.”
Zhang Ningning looked proud as he said this.
Ren Yu remembered that she and Linlin had returned to their former intimacy. They held hands, hugged, kissed, and smiled while looking at each other. Some things, once spoken, dissolved the misunderstandings. The invisible barrier between them had subtly broken down over the past few days.
Ren Yu smiled and said, “Me too.”
At dinner, everyone raised their glasses and chatted freely. Although they had only known each other for a few days, the atmosphere was excellent, relaxed, as if they were old friends.
Lin Xianglin: “It’s a pity, Sister Yan. I won’t be able to eat your cooking anymore.”
Wen Shuyan smiled faintly, meaningfully. “There will be opportunities in the future.”
Ren Yu: “I’ve decided. The next time Linlin has a concert overseas, I’m going to fly there and surprise her.”
Lin Xianglin: “When are you going?”
Ren Yu: “It depends on whether the department head at the university grants me leave.”
Everyone: “Hahaha…”
Xia Ziyu: “I hope one day I can get Guan Guan’s script. I want to act in a drama based on her writing.”
Guan Yuexin: “I’ll definitely write a historical mystery and suspense script next year.”
“Writer Guan can definitely do it.”
“I love mystery and suspense. Go for it, Writer Guan!”
“Maybe that show will make Xiaxia a huge hit.”
Zhang Ningning: “As for me, I hope one day Beibei and I can perform on the same stage.”
“Then you can both be on the New Year’s Gala! One of you sings and does a contemporary pop dance, and the other does a classical folk dance set. That counts as performing on the same stage!”
“Great idea! I hope to see you both on the Gala next year.”
Everyone asked Song Tingxue and Yan Qingqi, “What about you two? What do you hope to achieve?”
Song Tingxue’s lips curved, her eyes filled with peaceful contentment. “I am very lucky; what I wanted has already been achieved. I only hope that A-Yan can find her missing sister soon, and their family can be reunited.”
Wen Shuyan turned to look at Songsong next to her, surprised and deeply moved. “Thank you!”
Everyone offered comfort: “Sister Yan, you will definitely find your sister.”
Wen Shuyan thanked everyone. “Thank you. Thank you for your concern, everyone. I will find my sister.”
Guan Yuexin, sensing the atmosphere turning heavy, raised his glass. “Come, come, let’s toast to the incredible luck of us four average Alphas in finding four radiant, successful Omega wives. A toast to our good fortune!”
“Cheers! To our good fortune!” Wen Shuyan smiled and raised her glass with the other three Alphas.
The four Alphas drank. Even the low-tolerance Ren Yu finished his drink.
Bei Yumeng also raised her glass and stood up. “Sister Song, Sister Xia, Sister Lin, let’s drink too! A toast to finding these adorable and loving Alpha wives!”
“Cheers!” The four Omegas raised their glasses and drank.
Lin Xianglin asked, “Sisters, if you had a next life, would you still choose to be with your wives?”
The couples looked at each other and smiled: “Yes!” “Yes! We want to be together for many lifetimes!”
Author’s Note:
The variety show filming ends here.
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