Chapter 57: Chi Mo 11

Gao Jing: "Your daughter must have had a hard time in the past; it's heartbreaking just thinking about it."

"Yes, it was incredibly hard," Zhou Wenwen said, maintaining a smile. "I deeply regret not divorcing earlier. If I had, my child wouldn't have had to mature so early."

Tan You remained silent throughout; she simply couldn't relate to these topics. Furthermore, she wasn't particularly fond of raising children, mainly because she found the whole process exhausting.

Lin Meng: "So, how did you comfort her when she cried?"

Gao Jing smiled. "I told her that it was very tiring for Mom to stay in a marriage that was only held together by force, and that I felt wronged. I asked her, 'Do you want Mom to keep feeling wronged?'"

"She replied, 'No. I'm sad that you're getting a divorce, but I love you more than anyone in the world.' I burst into tears when she said that. I felt that all the hardships I endured to bring her into this world were worth it."

Zhou Wenwen nodded in agreement. "My daughter said something very similar. At that moment, I felt like I could do anything for her."

She clinked glasses with Gao Jing; it was clear they shared a lot of common ground. Tan You and Lin Meng exchanged a glance and sat quietly to the side. Perhaps only after becoming mothers could they truly understand how they felt.

If the female guests became softer when discussing children, the male guests were rather uninspiring.

Xiang Zhe said dryly, "They get along very well with their stepfather. Usually, I only get to speak to them when I call; otherwise, they don't contact me at all."

"And they are boys, so perhaps boys are naturally more introverted. Their conversations with me are pitifully brief."

Shi Lei and Xu Jike didn't have children, so they had nothing to discuss in this regard. This also made it apparent that the group in the villa had subtly split into two camps: those with children and those without.

Lin Meng changed the subject: "We've rested enough. Didn't we agree to go to the hot springs?"

Gao Jing immediately chimed in: "Let's go then! Soaking in hot springs on a snowy day is the ultimate comfort."

Zhou Wenwen added: "I saw some sterile bags in the fridge. Do you think we should try making hot spring eggs?"

Tan You was the perfect supporting character: "I'm fine with anything. Whatever works."

The hot springs at the guesthouse were thoughtfully designed, with rockeries acting as dividers, meaning even a slightly raised voice could be heard clearly. Gao Jing was the first to enter the pool, and as soon as she submerged, she let out a sigh of relief: "So relaxing."

Tan You leaned toward her: "Do we have any itinerary planned for tomorrow?"

Zhou Wenwen: "I heard from the director that we're taking a boat tomorrow and going forest rafting. I heard it's incredibly beautiful there."

Lin Meng: "Especially after it snows, the forest is even more stunning. I want to take lots of photos tomorrow."

Tan You's focus was elsewhere: "Doesn't that mean we'll have to wear even more layers tomorrow?"

Lin Meng: "Definitely. Ice and snow world is no joke; we have to stay warm."

Tan You idly stirred the water, feeling conflicted. On one hand, she was looking forward to the beautiful scenery; on the other, she was worried about the cold. She was someone who hated the cold and had never experienced the power of sub-zero temperatures.

Gao Jing offered a tip: "It's fine, I brought plenty of heat packs. We can all use them later."

Tan You pursed her lips: "I brought them too. Lots of them."

She was thorough; she had made extensive preparations before coming, bringing plenty of warmth-enhancing gear. When it came to taking care of herself, Tan You was highly experienced.

The women burst into laughter, while Xu Jike, behind the rockery, looked somewhat restless.

Xiang Zhe said with half-closed eyes, "Her attitude is quite clear. You might as well give up early."

Xu Jike was unconvinced: "It's rare to find someone so much to one's liking. It would be such a waste to give up like this."

Xiang Zhe shook his head. He had already given his warning; if Xiang Zhe insisted on running into a brick wall, that was his own business. Regardless, he felt Chi Mo had no interest in him; her gaze toward everyone was cold, showing no signs of affection.

Listening to the words transmitted back by the "Beauty System," Tan You lowered her eyelashes slightly. She was genuinely curious about what Xu Jike would do—would he "light up the lamp" for Chi Mo?

Tomorrow evening would mark the end of the first official recording session, and there would be a chance to make a choice. There would be one opportunity to "light the lamp" at every stop, depending on the guests' actions.

Tan You remembered that in the past, Chi Mo had taken a liking to Xiang Zhe because he was gentle and possessed the charm of a mature man; she had lit the lamp for him during the second stop.

Unfortunately, Xiang Zhe had always been interested in Gao Jing and had always politely declined Chi Mo's advances. Now that Tan You had entered this dating show, she certainly wouldn't involve herself with Xiang Zhe.

Or rather, she wouldn't allow Chi Mo to get involved with any of the male guests, because frankly, Tan You felt none of them were a good match for Chi Mo. It wasn't because they weren't excellent men, but primarily because they were all hesitant when it came to emotions.

In Tan You's view, if one cannot be firm in their feelings, there is truly no need to be with the other person.

In her previous life, Xu Jike had fallen in love with Chi Mo at first sight and had been devoted to her ever since. Yet, even until the very end, he never lit the lamp for her, which showed that his affection wasn't resolute enough—it was merely a momentary attraction to her beauty.

So, would Xu Jike light the lamp? For once, Tan You felt a sense of anticipation.

The guesthouse had no dance studio, so Tan You had to give up her daily morning basic training and instead enjoyed sleeping in. When she left the room, the inside of her down jacket was almost entirely lined with heat packs—total coverage.

The female guests were largely the same; at their age, they knew exactly how to take care of themselves. The bus sped along and soon arrived at the forest rafting site.

Perhaps because it had snowed overnight, the forest was a blanket of white, but the small rivers within the woods were exceptionally beautiful. If one were to drift on a boat across the water, it would feel as though they had entered a fairyland.

Looking into the distance, Tan You suddenly thought of a dance she had once seen. A girl in a red dress dancing in the snow, with a vast sea of clouds behind her. Just thinking about the scene gave Tan You an impulse to dance.

However, she had never liked showing off; even with this thought, she wouldn't mention it to the production crew. Instead, she planned to record the video herself after the first official stop concluded.

Her gaze lingered briefly on the filming camera. She wondered if she could ask a cameraman for help when the time came. If it wasn't convenient, she could find another photographer later; it wouldn't be a difficult task.

She had brought dance clothes, and as for makeup, with Chi Mo's face, she wouldn't need anything too heavy. It would just be a period-style look, which would require a professional stylist.

When all the details were tallied up, filming a complete dance would indeed require a lot of effort.

(End of Chapter)