Free Web NovelChapter 42: Ch 42: Dawn’s Golden Trials
As the morning light continued to strengthen, Su Wanyan stirred awake, the warm rays of the sun gently brushing across her face like a persistent, golden caress. She lifted her right hand to shield her eyes, a soft groan escaping her lips as she straightened her posture against the headboard.
Blinking rapidly, she tried to shake off the lingering drowsiness that clung to her. Her body felt rested enough, but the long night of caring for both Mo Xingxue and little Mo Yan had left a subtle heaviness in her limbs.
She turned her gaze to the mother and daughter still sleeping peacefully beside her. Mo Xingxue’s face was relaxed in slumber, her lashes casting delicate shadows on her cheeks, while Mo Yan nestled securely against her mother.
The sight brought a tender smile to Su Wanyan’s lips. Not wanting the bright sunlight to disturb them, she rose silently and crossed to the window, drawing the curtains closed with smooth movements.
The heavy fabric blocked out the pouring golden beams, softening the room into a cozy, dim sanctuary once more.
Su Wanyan stretched her stiff neck and back, rolling her shoulders with quiet satisfaction. She then retrieved her hygiene kit from her belongings, moving with practiced stealth so as not to wake the pair. Slipping out of the room, she headed toward the bathroom.
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Emerging from the bathroom a short while later, refreshed and composed, Su Wanyan returned to the bedroom. Her eyes immediately softened at the sight of the still-sleeping duo.
Mo Xingxue had shifted slightly, one arm draped protectively over Mo Yan, both of them bathed in the gentle, filtered light now seeping through the curtains.
Su Wanyan tucked her things away neatly before heading back out, her steps light as she made her way toward the kitchen, already mentally preparing to cook breakfast for everyone.
But when she stepped into the kitchen, she found PD Xu Cui already there, reviewing some notes under the bright overhead lights. The aroma of fresh coffee lingered faintly in the air from whatever the staff had prepared earlier.
"Oh, good morning, PD," Su Wanyan greeted respectfully, offering a small nod.
PD Xu Cui looked up and returned the greeting with a nod of his own. "You don’t need to cook today," he said simply.
Su Wanyan paused, her voice trailing with confusion. "Yes?" Horror slowly dawned on her face as realization hit. Don’t tell me he’s going to make us work for it? Su Wanyan lamented internally, already imagining the chaotic day ahead.
Seeing the mix of emotions flicker across her expression, PD Xu Cui let out a small, amused smile. "Looks like you already figured it out," he said, chuckling lightly.
Su Wanyan nodded grimly and pulled out a chair, sinking into it. While she and the others who had eaten the night before might manage, her thoughts drifted worriedly to Zhao Yichen and Han Jiho, who had skipped dinner. Ha... How troubling, she thought, a quiet sigh escaping her.
The kitchen fell into a comfortable yet thoughtful silence, each lost in their own reflections. Minutes ticked by until the sound of footsteps and murmurs drifted down from upstairs.
"Ahh, I’m hungry," came Qin Yuran’s familiar whining voice, bright and dramatic even in the early hour.
"Tell me about it," Zhao Yichen echoed, his tone carrying clear exhaustion.
"It’s okay, I’m sure Teacher Su cooked another wonderful meal!" Lin Xuanyu added optimistically, his voice echoing through the hallway with youthful energy.
The group’s voices grew nearer until they spilled into the kitchen. Upon spotting the PD, all the guests offered respectful greetings. PD Xu Cui gestured for them to sit, and though confusion painted their faces, they obliged without protest.
Su Wanyan stood up smoothly. "I’ll go get Xuexue," she said.
The PD nodded in satisfaction at her quick thinking. "We’ll wait for you two."
Su Wanyan nodded and returned to the bedroom. Mo Xingxue and Mo Yan were still nestled together in peaceful slumber. She approached the bed gently, reaching out to shake Mo Xingxue’s shoulder with careful movements. "Xuexue... Xuexue," she called softly, rocking her back and forth.
Mo Xingxue’s brows knitted together before her eyes cracked open slowly. "Yanyan?" she croaked, voice still heavy with sleep.
Su Wanyan nodded, offering a warm smile. "Wake up. The PD is waiting for us." She carefully scooped Mo Yan into her arms with practiced ease, cradling the baby securely against her chest.
Mo Xingxue stretched her arms overhead, letting out a soft yawn. Su Wanyan, interpreting the motion differently, leaned down with her left arm still holding Mo Yan and gently scooped Mo Xingxue’s upper body with her right, attempting to lift her.
Mo Xingxue’s eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing?" she asked, a mix of bewilderment and amusement in her tone.
Su Wanyan carefully sat her up first before answering sheepishly, "Didn’t you want me to carry you?"
Mo Xingxue blinked, then let out an exasperated but awkward laugh. "I was stretching," she explained seriously, looking straight into Su Wanyan’s eyes with deadpan sincerity.
Su Wanyan pursed her lips, an embarrassed smile tugging at her mouth. "Sorry."
Mo Xingxue shook her head, laughing softly this time, the sound light and melodic. "Come on, didn’t you say the PD is waiting for us?" She tried to dispel the lingering awkwardness as they both prepared to leave.
When they reached the kitchen, the others greeted Mo Xingxue warmly. She returned the greetings with a gentle smile, and the two settled side by side on the available seats.
PD Xu Cui cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. "We’ll start rolling in 3......" The guests, despite their unwashed faces and sleepy appearances, sat up straighter. "—2, 1."
After the countdown, the PD signaled the camera. The live stream began, flooding the chat with immediate excitement.
[Finally, I’ve been waiting forever!]
[Drought season is over.]
[MY LOVIES!]
[Wow, they look good as heck.]
[M—my legs are being pried open by the demons again.]
[Demons hiding in the corner: Leave us out of your shamelessness.]
PD Xu Cui continued with a professional smile. "You all must be confused about what is happening right now," he began, his gaze drifting teasingly to Su Wanyan. "Especially Su Wanyan, who was about to cook a meal."
Su Wanyan touched her nose, a faint blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.
"Anyway," the PD went on, "you all must be hungry right now, right?" His voice carried a distinct hint of mischief.
The guests exchanged wary glances, a foreboding feeling settling over the group.
"Yeah," Qin Yuran admitted honestly.
"Very," Zhao Yichen added.
The PD nodded. "Then, work for your food," he declared, already laughing.
The room was filled with surprised murmurs. Su Wanyan frowned slightly. I already expected this, but it’s still shocking as this didn’t happen in the novel, she thought. In the novel, the third day had simply involved choosing dates again. Still, she smoothed her expression. It’s fine. Changes were bound to happen. She leaned back, focusing intently on the PD.
Han Jiho raised his hand. "How exactly are we going to work for our food?" he asked, voicing what everyone was thinking.
PD Xu Cui smirked, clearly prepared for the question. He gestured to two staff members, who brought in a large TV. When he turned it on, it displayed an elaborate obstacle course filled with challenging elements.
"We’ll be going here," the PD explained, clicking to the next slide. "The first pair to finish the obstacle will get a budget of 1,500 dollars for their breakfast."
Sounds of awe rippled through the group. Even Su Wanyan was shocked at the generous amount. Wow, isn’t that too extravagant?
Seeing their reactions, Gu Chengze scoffed internally. Ignorant and broke fools.
The PD continued with growing enthusiasm. "Second place gets 1,000 dollars, third place 500, and last place.. only 50 dollars."
Qin Yuran leaned back. "Even if I got last place, 50 dollars is still a pretty good deal," she said optimistically. The others murmured in agreement.
What Qin Yuran simply said, sparked reactions from malicious viewers.
[Is Qin Yuran for real saying that right now?]
[Fr. According to statistics the average money she spends on dates is 10,000 dollars.]
[And the fact that those are all within a single day?]
[Hey, she ain’t THE scumbag of the entertainment industry for nothing.]
[I’m worried for Yuyu, she’s getting tangled up with that scumbag.]
While they kept hating, some of Qin Yuran’s fans fought back, enraged by the hate their idol was getting.
[Y’all just jealous she gets bitches, while y’all don’t.]
[Fr, I mean look at that face. And the fact that she’s generous too? Count me the fuck in.]
[Fym "statistics"? Those are clearly marketed accounts that y’all probably paid for.]
[Statistics they say, but they just saw it in a video that was on their fyp, lol.]
[And why are y’all even spreading rumors that she’s a player, when those linked to her even said they didn’t personally know her?]
[Fr, let alone personally know her, they can’t even talk to her.]
[Be fucking fr right now.]
The barrage had mixed reactions, with some haters targeting Qin Yuran while her fans defended her fiercely. One particularly inflammatory comment sparked outrage:
[Maybe the reason why Su Wanyan got close to her so soon was because she too is a player. After all, birds of a feather flock together.] freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
The chat immediately erupted in chaos.
[WHY YOU LITTLE BIT—]
[RICKY, WHEN I CATCH YOU, RICKY. WHEN I CATCH YOU, RICKY—]
[HOLD MY PURSE! HOLD MY GANGNAM PURSE!]
[Gangnam??]
[THIS AIN’T THE TIME TO BE CONFUSED, BROTHER. WE NEED TO TAKE THE ENEMY DOWN!]
[AVENGERS—ASSEMBLE!]
[RAHHHHHHHHHHH!!]
[HEY, CENSOR THE WORD! WE’RE GOING TO GET COPYRIGHTED!]
Meanwhile, Qin Yuran and Su Wanyan remained blissfully unaware, still laughing at one of Zhao Yichen’s jokes.
Song Meiyu raised her hand timidly. "Is our partner still our partner from yesterday?"
"Good question," PD Xu Cui replied with a grin. He asked everyone to stand and led them through the living room and storage area until they reached the backyard door.
He opened it slowly, revealing a newly set-up mini obstacle course complete with tires, monkey bars, barbed wire crawls, and a thick rope for climbing.
When did they set this up? Su Wanyan wondered, blinking in quiet exasperation. She had been awake multiple times during the night, even venturing to the kitchen to bake, yet she hadn’t noticed any of this.
Su Wanyan sighed, I’m in a novel world, she reminded herself, choosing to accept the plot hole rather than overthink it.
A staff member approached with a box. "Our lovely omegas will draw lots," PD Xu Cui announced. "There are numbers written inside."
He gestured toward the course. "The alphas will go through this obstacle. After finishing, they will call out a number from 1 to 4. However, once a number is chosen, it can’t be picked by others. And here’s the twist—" His eyes sparkled with mischief. "The number your omega picked will remain anonymous to the alphas."
Zhao Yichen voiced the obvious concern. "Eh, then we might not pick our target omega?"
"That’s the thrill, isn’t it?" PD Xu Cui teased. He smiled broadly at the group. "Then, shall the games begin?"
