Married in a Daze - Chapter 33
Chapter 33
The ball-clamping game continued until nearly evening, only ending long after the rain had stopped. Qin Zhenzhen felt this was absolutely the hardest task—it was way too demanding of mutual understanding and chemistry, and unfortunately, she and Lu Ruyun didn't have much of that, which was why they ended up with second-to-last place.
First and second place went to pairs of staff members. The last-place finishers were Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi. These two grown men looked at the small ball in front of them with trepidation.
"It's too hard."
"My eyes are going cross-eyed."
"No, no, my hands are shaking badly."
Although they didn't admit defeat verbally, their hearts were already resigned to it. In the end, they even cracked several jokes to lighten the mood. Everyone was amused by them, so much so that they couldn't even hold their own balls steady.
The ultimate losers were naturally them.
Shen Haitang looked at the cards in her hand with a beaming smile. "Now, let's talk about the rewards and punishments."
As she spoke, she handed the cards in her hand to the staff team that finished first. "Please choose!"
The two young women from the first team looked at the cards in their hands. The options included Death-Defying Rollercoaster, Tower Drop, Extreme River Rafting, Cliff Diving, and several other items. They exchanged a glance, then looked at Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi with mischievous glints in their eyes. "Rollercoaster?"
"No, no, I want to see Extreme River Rafting."
From nearby, Qin Zhenzhen listened to their hushed discussion. She glanced sideways at the cards and shivered upon seeing the punishments listed. She had been terrified of these extreme sports since childhood.
In contrast to her, Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi seemed eager and ready to try.
Star Showdown featured not only various sports facilities but also recreational equipment, most of which were thrilling. The punishments in past episodes weren't fixed; some were simple, others were incredibly difficult.
The so-called "difficult" ones were the stimulating ones.
In the episode before last, Han Xiao had drawn Tower Drop as her punishment. Her genuine terrified reaction was still being laughed at by netizens, with many turning her expressions from that moment into memes. When she found out, she was both amused and exasperated, saying she'd come back to Star Showdown after building up more courage.
There were plenty of similar examples.
Netizens loved watching these extreme punishment methods.
Qin Zhenzhen looked at the cards held by the two staff members and felt thankful once again that she wasn't the loser. She shot a glance at Lu Ruyun with a "survived a calamity" look, only to find Lu Ruyun looking right back at her. She lowered her head, pretending to be nonchalant.
Soon, the punishment was chosen. After discussion, the two staff members settled on Extreme River Rafting.
Extreme River Rafting involved navigating four bends and five steep drops in rapid succession. The bends were narrow, the drops were high, and the slopes were steep—just looking at it was frightening.
Qin Zhenzhen had gone rafting before, but definitely not anything like this. She heard Fu Cheng whisper, "Thank goodness it's not me."
After saying that, Fu Cheng looked at Qin Zhenzhen. "Zhenzhen, do you like playing this sort of thing?"
Qin Zhenzhen quickly shook her head. Fu Cheng laughed. "Does it look absolutely terrifying?"
"Wanna guess who will chicken out first?"
Qin Zhenzhen looked at Ding Yichuan, who was putting on a life jacket, and Wang Zi, who was wearing a safety helmet. Neither of their expressions suggested they would back down. She pursed her lips. "Probably neither."
Fu Cheng blinked with a smile. "I bet they both will. If I win, can I take a photo with you guys?"
She blinked again. "You and Teacher Lu."
Qin Zhenzhen instinctively looked at Lu Ruyun, seeing her gaze fixed on the large display screen. She nodded. "Okay."
On the field, aside from the staff, only Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi remained. Shen Haitang stood next to Ding Yichuan, interviewing him about his current mood. Ding Yichuan chuckled arrogantly, speaking into the camera, "Everyone, await my triumphant return!"
The people sitting in front of the TV all laughed softly.
After a while, Shen Haitang received a notification that preparations were complete. She had the staff help Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi onto the boat and fasten their seatbelts. With the sound of a whistle, the boat slowly drifted downstream. The camera focused on Wang Zi and Ding Yichuan's faces. They were chatting and laughing one moment, and the next, a scream was heard as Ding Yichuan's contorted facial expression appeared on the screen.
Water splashed directly into their faces. Before Ding Yichuan could catch his breath from the first steep drop, he had to navigate another sharp bend. The bend was narrow, but the water current was extremely fierce, slamming his boat against the edge of the channel. He was tossed about, disoriented, hearing only Wang Zi's screams in his ears: "Go down faster!"
"Faster!"
He focused his eyes and saw Wang Zi's boat hurtling down right behind him, about to crash into his!
Holy shit!
Ding Yichuan's face paled with fright, wishing he could get through this bend immediately. But it was too late. Wang Zi's boat was already upon him when he was only halfway through. Wang Zi's momentum pushed him forward and down!
Another steep drop ahead!
Ding Yichuan could no longer care about anything else, letting out a heart-rending roar: "Ahhh!!"
As he roared, he looked back at Wang Zi's boat closing in from behind, his face deathly pale as he closed his eyes. "Help me, aaaaaah!"
Wang Zi, behind Ding Yichuan, was no better, screaming desperately. Their voices rose and fell in a chaotic chorus.
Fu Cheng leaned against Qin Zhenzhen with a laugh, nudging the stunned Qin Zhenzhen. "Zhenzhen, photo, photo."
Qin Zhenzhen stared at the screen, completely failing to register.
Within a few minutes, Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi got off the boat. They were both soaked, their handsome faces pale as paper, their bodies trembling, a stark contrast to their demeanor before boarding.
Shen Haitang had staff hand them dry towels and conducted a well-timed interview.
Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi looked at each other, their faces mournful. "We made it back alive."
"Hahahaha!"
Fu Cheng's laughter immediately erupted in the room. She slapped Hu Jing's arm beside her, laughing uproariously. Between laughs, she said to Qin Zhenzhen, "Zhenzhen, come here, come here! Let's take the photo right here!"
Qin Zhenzhen walked over to her. Fu Cheng had Lu Ruyun stand on her right side, positioned herself between the two of them, made a hand gesture, and the small phone screen was filled with the figures of three people.
Just as Fu Cheng said "ready," Lu Ruyun turned her head to look at Qin Zhenzhen.
The flash went off.
The photo was taken.
Fu Cheng looked at the three people in the photo, and Lu Ruyun's turned head.
Why did she suddenly feel so superfluous?
After taking the photo, Fu Cheng asked Qin Zhenzhen if she wanted to take a couple of shots. Qin Zhenzhen was about to refuse when she heard Lu Ruyun say, "Okay, thank you for your trouble."
Lu Ruyun smiled and handed over her own phone. Fu Cheng received it with trepidation, nodding like a woodpecker. "Yes, yes, I'll definitely make Teacher Lu and Zhenzhen look beautiful in the photo!"
Qin Zhenzhen could only smile and stand beside Lu Ruyun.
With Fu Cheng between them just now, it hadn't felt awkward at all.
Now, without Fu Cheng, it felt terribly awkward. She couldn't help but recall the last photo He Tian took, where they stood in the same posture, but later, Lu Ruyun had wrapped her arm around her waist.
A faint blush crept onto Qin Zhenzhen's fair cheeks. Fu Cheng, looking at the screen at the perfect couple, said, "Get a bit closer."
"OK!"
She smiled and quickly pressed the phone screen twice. After taking the photos, she handed the phone back to Lu Ruyun and turned her head. "What about you, Zhenzhen?"
Qin Zhenzhen shook her head.
Fu Cheng laughed. "Right, you can just look on Teacher Lu's phone."
Just as she finished speaking, the door was pushed open. Ding Yichuan and Wang Zi entered wrapped in large bath towels, shivering. "I have a phobia of rafting now."
Wang Zi added, "I have a phobia of all recreational activities now."
Everyone teased them for a bit. When Shen Haitang arrived, she announced that everyone could disperse and informed them that the evening entertainment facilities would be open for free use.
Seeing the excitement in Fu Cheng's eyes, Qin Zhenzhen subtly shrunk back.
Sure enough, on the way back, she heard Fu Cheng say, "Let's go play once!"
"It's fine, you won't be afraid after playing a few times! Believe me!"
"Really, really..."
The intermittent voices faded into the distance. Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun returned to their apartment.
"What do you want to eat tonight?"
Lu Ruyun only asked when they reached the door. Qin Zhenzhen looked up at her, sensing a different emotion in her eyes.
It seemed... happy?
She couldn't quite tell, but she had a feeling the current Lu Ruyun was different from before. She thought for a moment and said, "It's okay, I'm not hungry."
They had spent the whole afternoon in that room, only their hands moving, so she really wasn't hungry.
Seeing Qin Zhenzhen about to enter her room, Lu Ruyun reached out and grabbed her wrist. "Zhenzhen?"
Qin Zhenzhen's heart skipped a beat. She looked at Lu Ruyun as if nothing was wrong. "Hmm?"
Lu Ruyun's beautiful eyes were serene, her expression calm. "Are you still angry?"
Qin Zhenzhen stiffened for a few seconds, then shook her head. "No, I'm just tired and want to sleep."
After saying that, she withdrew her arm and went into her room, collapsing onto the large bed without any regard for posture. She couldn't sleep, so she just lay there playing with her phone for a while. The WeChat group was buzzing with heated discussion, messages coming one after another.
Qin Zhenzhen opened the group chat and saw Fu Cheng trying to recruit others to play with her tonight. She thought for a few seconds, about to exit, when she saw a friend request.
It was from Fu Cheng.
She opened the request, accepted it, and immediately received a message from Fu Cheng.
—Zhenzhen!
—Wanna play together tonight?
Qin Zhenzhen replied: No, you guys have fun.
Fu Cheng: Okay then.
Qin Zhenzhen stared at these three words, then typed: Fu Cheng, can you send me the photos you took today?
Fu Cheng quickly replied: No problem! [Image].
Qin Zhenzhen looked at the photo of the three people. Fu Cheng was laughing heartily, cheerful, and made a hand gesture. In contrast, she herself only had a slight smile, her signature polite expression.
And Lu Ruyun.
Lu Ruyun was looking at her.
Qin Zhenzhen rolled over on the bed a couple of times and threw her phone aside. Sounds occasionally came from outside the door, but she chose to ignore them, burying her head under the blanket.
Not long after, someone knocked on the bedroom door.
Lu Ruyun's voice called out, "Zhenzhen?"
Qin Zhenzhen replied muffledly from under the covers, "What is it?"
Lu Ruyun: "Dinner is ready."
Her tone was so natural, as if this was their daily routine, as if they always ate together. A fire suddenly ignited in Qin Zhenzhen's heart. Did Lu Ruyun really need to go this far?
Was it worth lowering herself to cook for her just for the sake of revenge?
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. She simply stepped into her slippers, yanked the door open with force, and stormed out. Lu Ruyun was sitting at the dining table. Seeing her come out, she handed her a pair of chopsticks, saying gently, "Come eat."
Qin Zhenzhen was so angry her eyes turned slightly red. "You!"
The words she wanted to shout to break this facade got stuck in her throat as she looked at Lu Ruyun and the table full of dishes.
There were at least seven or eight dishes, even more abundant than yesterday's lunch, and three or four of them were flavors she particularly liked. Qin Zhenzhen felt a lump in her throat for a moment, unable to make a sound. Lu Ruyun stood up and asked, "What's wrong?"
She pressed on Qin Zhenzhen's shoulders, guiding her to sit down. "Let's eat."
Qin Zhenzhen looked at the full table of dishes, calming her emotions slightly. "Is today some special occasion?"
Lu Ruyun lowered her eyelashes. "An ordinary day."
For Qin Zhenzhen, this was indeed an ordinary day, nothing special at all.
But for her.
It was different.
She had never imagined there would be a day when she would accept someone stepping into her life, moving about in her world.
And she didn't reject it.
Qin Zhenzhen increasingly felt that Lu Ruyun was different tonight, which gradually dissipated the emotions she had been brewing, making it difficult for her to utter another syllable.
The two ate dinner in silence, the TV occasionally broadcasting advertisements. The entire apartment was enveloped in dim, warm yellow light, creating a somewhat cozy atmosphere.
After dinner, Qin Zhenzhen was responsible for clearing the dishes. She looked out the window and saw Fu Cheng, Ding Yichuan, and a few others walking away in the distance, presumably heading out to play.
She withdrew her gaze. Someone leaned against her back from behind, a weight settling on her shoulders. Lu Ruyun's soft voice sounded by her ear. "What are you looking at?"
Her natural attitude made Qin Zhenzhen's heart give a violent jolt, suddenly pounding wildly. She could feel the warmth against her back and the soft breath by her ear.
She cleared her throat lightly, pretending to be busy. "Nothing, just washing dishes."
"You, you, step back a bit."
Qin Zhenzhen acted nonchalant, but Lu Ruyun noticed the blush on her fair cheeks and the red tint creeping up her slender neck. Lu Ruyun's eyes darkened slightly. She nodded. "Okay, then I'll go take a shower."
Then I'll go take a shower.
Upon hearing these five words, Qin Zhenzhen's mind inexplicably conjured something, making her face flare bright red. Her hand holding the plate trembled slightly, almost dropping it. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lu Ruyun turn, go into the room to get her pajamas, and then enter the bathroom.
Only when she heard the click of the bathroom door closing did she slump slightly, leaning against the kitchen counter. After washing the dishes, she paced in the living room, her mind a chaotic mess.
Lu Ruyun was in the shower, the sound of rushing water in her ears. She tilted her head back, closed her eyes. The sound of rushing water gradually faded, replaced by footsteps in her ears, coming closer and closer. Her eyes snapped open!
Panic and fear filled her eyes. She abruptly turned off the showerhead. There was still unmelted soap suds on her body. One pale hand braced against the tile. Lu Ruyun gasped for breath, each breath heavier than the last. Without the sound of running water, the bathroom felt hollow and silent, yet the heavy footsteps still echoed in her ears. Tap—tap—tap!
The sound grew nearer. Lu Ruyun felt as if someone was strangling her throat. Her consciousness blurred. The expanse of white before her eyes intersected with images from her memory, making her unsure of where she was!
The sound in her ears struck like thunder. She curled into herself, pressing her whole body into the corner. The cold ceramic tiles touched her skin. She felt cold.
A bone-chilling cold, a chill rising from the depths of her heart instantly invading every part of her body. She covered her ears with both hands, her body trembling, eyes tightly shut. She was like a wounded animal, letting out sorrowful whimpers.
"Teacher Lu?"
"Lu Ruyun?"
A soft call from outside pierced through the heavy footsteps, bringing a moment of clarity to her mind.
Outside was Qin Zhenzhen.
It was Zhenzhen.
An image surfaced in her mind—a pair of beautiful, sparkling eyes, gently blinking, a smiling face.
Lu Ruyun gritted her teeth and slowly tried to stand up, but her legs had no strength at all. She angrily slapped her own legs, as if resenting her own uselessness!
Open the door.
Just open the door.
The person outside is Zhenzhen.
Lu Ruyun stood by the door, clenched her fists, placed her hand on the doorknob. The beautiful, sparkling eyes that had just appeared in her mind were gradually swallowed by darkness again.
No.
The person outside the door wasn't Zhenzhen.
She stumbled backwards several steps, bumping into a clothes rack. A clattering sound rang out.
Qin Zhenzhen heard the noise and hurried to the bathroom door. Frowning, she knocked. "Teacher Lu?"
"Lu..."
She was about to knock again when the door opened. Lu Ruyun stood at the doorway wrapped in a bath towel. This time, Qin Zhenzhen paid closer attention, carefully observing Lu Ruyun. She noticed her face was pale, covered in droplets—whether it was unrinsed shower water or sweat, she couldn't tell.
"Are you okay?"
Lu Ruyun met her bright eyes. "I'm fine."
Qin Zhenzhen let out a sigh of relief. "What happened just now?"
Lu Ruyun glanced back into the bathroom, a shadow passing through her eyes, which still held some bloodshot traces. She clenched her hand. "It's nothing. I soaked in the bath for too long. Got up and felt dizzy, bumped into the clothes rack."
She explained unhurriedly, the reason sufficient enough that Qin Zhenzhen didn't suspect anything else, only muttering softly, "So that's what happened."
Lu Ruyun forced a slight smile. "I'll go back to my room first."
Qin Zhenzhen called out after her, "Lu..."
The full "Teacher Lu" didn't come out, because she saw Lu Ruyun's tensed calf muscles, her clenched hand, and a glimpse of red peeking from between her fingers.
A bright red color.
She was momentarily stunned, watching as Lu Ruyun entered her room.
Was she injured?
From bumping into it just now? Qin Zhenzhen walked into the bathroom and saw a trace of red by the clothes rack. It must have scratched her hand, causing an injury.
Why didn't she say anything?
Afraid she'd worry?
Qin Zhenzhen straightened the clothes rack, placed the clothes on it into a basin. The image of Lu Ruyun's injured hand appeared before her eyes. She thought she'd go bandage it for her after finishing her own shower.
Thinking this, she closed the door, took off her clothes, and stepped into the bathroom. Remembering Lu Ruyun mentioning soaking in the bath, she decided to run water into the bathtub as well. Just as she bent down to look at the tub, she sensed something was off.
She lowered her head and touched it with her hand.
The area around the bathtub was completely dry.
Not a trace of water.
The frown that had just relaxed tightened again.
Had Lu Ruyun... just lied?
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