CHAPTER 15: CHAPTER 15: I WON’T LET SIS DOWN

The virtual book club capped at three books, and the outcome was decided.

As the final victor, Yu Xia occupied a small sofa all by herself, nestled comfortably while watching the staff bring in the props for the punishment game.

A large cushion with edges, surrounded by boxing ring-like ropes.

Then everyone else was geared up in protective gear, each with a long balloon stick.

Someone poured soapy water on the cushion, and the staff member who did it slipped and fell with a "duang" as they left the stage.

Startling everyone.

Staff member: "...Actually, it’s not that slippery."

Stood up and "duang," fell again.

Everyone else: "..."

Ning Yunchao donned his gear, holding onto the elastic railing, tried taking a few steps on the cushion.

"Indeed, it’s not that slippery... slippery slippery slippery!"

Taking the second step out, he slipped a bit, almost face-planting, and quickly grabbed the railing.

Then he performed a spectacular "slip-and-slide-floor-dance," like a rag on a branch swaying in the waves, or a diligent person trying to plow the land with a stubborn ox.

In short, very inspiring.

Although in the end, he couldn’t escape a "duang" back down.

Since the cushion was very bouncy, it bounced him back up a bit.

After a beautiful set of "extreme floor dance," the whole crowd was dumbfounded, and Yu Xia clapped leisurely.

"That performance was great, I fully realized how useless human limbs are under extreme conditions."

Ning Yunchao was speechless, closing his eyes in frustration.

Then Wei Yaoyao started laUGHing, causing an uproar in the room.

The program team announced the rules of the punishment game: "After everyone puts on helmets, stand together in the slippery pool, use balloon sticks to attack others, and snatch their balloon sticks. The official start and stop of the game is decided by a whistle blown by Yu Xia. During the stop time, everyone needs to dance to the music.

After three starts and stops, the trainee who snatches the most balloon sticks reluctantly becomes the winner of this meeting, earning nine points. Points can be used to purchase prop cards, which play an important role in subsequent indoor and outdoor spin-off programs."

The whistle was handed to Yu Xia.

She leaned back, playing with the red plastic whistle worth two bucks, feeling a sense of satisfaction in controlling the fate of the handsome brothers.

The twelve of them were still checking their protective gear, then cautiously stepped onto the cushion one by one.

A staff member took the opportunity to interview her: "Who do you think will win?"

Yu Xia raised her hand, pointing vaguely at people’s heads: "Still not very familiar, so how would I know, but I can guess—counting soldiers, whoever gets pointed at is the one, ha, Xie Qingci."

This cheeky little brother has learned stick fighting techniques from martial arts, with amazing reflexes, probably no one here can match him.

Xie Qingci looked over across the railing, lifted his eyes to glance at her, then said to the camera: "Thanks to Yu Xia for having faith in me, I definitely won’t let her down."

No particular emphasis, but it sounded strange.

Yu Xia felt a jolt of electricity through her body, coughed lightly.

The whistle blew, no one moved.

Everyone held onto the railing at the edge, paddling like in a hot spring, you look at me, I look at you.

Shu Ran: "Why isn’t anyone moving?"

Yu Kuang: "Too slippery, I can’t even stand stably!"

Wei Yaoyao was even more timid, huddled in a corner holding the balloon stick without getting up.

"Can we slide using our butts?"

Ning Yunchao: "...You can try; we don’t mind if you slide using your face."

Then he actually sat down and slid, and it worked pretty well, sliding right to Xie Qingci’s feet.

He looked up and grinned foolishly at Xie Qingci: "This method works great."

"Seems fine," Xie Qingci bent down and grabbed his balloon stick, pulling him around, "I’ll pull you along."

Wei Yaoyao hesitated a moment, then tightly gripped the other end of the balloon stick, and he was really pulled around the whole area by him.

"This feels awesome! Faster!"

Xie Qingci laughed: "Alright."

Then he exerted more force, holding the balloon stick firmly, pulling Wei Yaoyao to half-stand and then immediately "duang" back down.

Due to inertia, Xie Qingci also slipped, but he quickly rolled around and resumed a half-kneeling stance.

Wei Yaoyao was shocked, empty-handed, mouth agape, looking at Xie Qingci with disbelief and a touch of betrayed sorrow.

"Xie Qingci! How could you do this to me! What about the trust between roommates?!"

Xie Qingci: "Sorry, in the face of winning or losing, emotions don’t count."

Ning Yunchao clinging to the railing jeered at Wei Yaoyao: "When he reached for your balloon stick you didn’t even struggle, right now your face screams ’idiot.’"

Wei Yaoyao was on the verge of tears, gritted his teeth, and pounced, hugging Xie Qingci’s leg, then shouted to the others: "Hurry up, get him!"

The group led by Song Xi had been eyeing for a chance and immediately rushed forward.

Five took off, three slipped halfway, two collided at the end point, crashing into each other and also toppling Xie Qingci, alongside always lying Wei Yaoyao, four people were tangled and piled on top.

Yu Xia improvised: "I got it, this move is called ’When a Bowling Pin Decides to Sacrifice Itself’."

Knocked dizzy, Chi Qiao pushed Wei Yaoyao off, while Xie Qingci at the bottom grasped two balloon sticks, rolled away from the chaos.

Then faced Shu Ran trying to stand up.

Shu Ran gave an elegant smile, but her hands didn’t stop, swinging the balloon stick at him.

There was a thrill similar to chopping down a heartless man with a swift stroke.

Xie Qingci didn’t retaliate at first, getting hit twice. Seeing this nice chance, Pei Lu quickly slid over intending to snatch his balloon stick.

Yu Xia craned her neck to see, almost wanting to shout Xie Qingci, hurry up, fight back!

Could this brother be merciful because Shu Ran looks good, not caring about winning or losing?

She knew it! Young people are just this fickle! Said something heartfelt like "I only love you, this one sister," when they’re fired up, and now? Lying on the cushion not even resisting being hit by another sister, isn’t this the damned spark of romance?!

Seen too many flowers, who remembers the first rose! Xie Qingci! Scumbag!

Perhaps her resentment was too deep, Xie Qingci lying on the cushion looked at her once.

Then wriggled free under Shu Ran, minimizing physical contact.

Then, swung the balloon stick from below upwards, clashing directly with Pei Lu’s downward chop.

What followed was his solo show, using the balloon sticks like short staffs, swiftly chopping, hacking, blocking, confusing Pei Lu into a downfall, seizing the balloon stick as a trophy.

Throughout the process, Pei Lu didn’t quite grasp what happened, lying on the floor, gazing up at Xie Qingci, all he saw was his lazy and arrogant victorious posture, looking down with an extended hand.

"Sorry, this balloon stick is mine now."