With all eyes on it, the beverage bottle spun slower and slower, finally pointing to Lu Mofeng. Zhuo Yan smiled and said, "The first round is just a demonstration. Mofeng is our lucky winner, so he can choose Truth or Dare."
Lu Mofeng leaned forward slightly. "I know. Let’s get right to it."
"Bold!" Zhuo Yan praised. "So we’re jumping right in, then? Do you choose Truth or Dare?"
Lu Mofeng shot a quick glance at Zhu Sha. "Truth."
Zhuo Yan was a little surprised. "Truth right off the bat? Playing for high stakes, are we? Does anyone have a question they want to ask?"
Yun Lan was the first to raise her hand. "How many times have you been in a relationship?"
Lu Mofeng: "Twice."
Yun Lan was about to ask another question when Zhuo Yan coughed. "Only one question at a time. Alright, let’s officially begin. Mofeng, it’s your turn to spin."
Lu Mofeng reached out his arm, and the beverage bottle spun wildly before finally pointing to... Zhu Sha.
Zhuo Yan: "Zhu Sha, do you choose Truth or Dare?"
Zhu Sha: "Truth."
Lu Mofeng posed his question. "How many romantic relationships have you been in?"
Zhu Sha answered swiftly, "One."
After speaking, she smiled. "My turn now, right?"
"Yes, it’s your turn," Zhuo Yan said. He had also noticed the turbulent undercurrents between Zhu Sha and Lu Mofeng. He blinked, thinking to himself, ’I just came to be on a show. Why do I feel like a third wheel?’
Zhu Sha paid him no mind. This time, the bottle landed on Zhou Jintang. Zhou Jintang leaned back on the sofa. "What do you want to know?"
Zhu Sha recalled what Tan You had said that afternoon. "Why did you come on this show?"
Zhou Jintang smiled. "To find a partner, of course."
The game continued for several more rounds, and the bottle rarely landed on Zhu Sha. She was happy for the peace and quiet, content to just watch everyone talk and use the opportunity to understand them better.
For instance, Huo Feng was raising a child on his own. And the other female guests were all very worldly and experienced. In comparison, Zhu Sha felt like the biggest novice among them.
It wasn’t just about romantic history. In terms of life experience and shrewdness, Zhu Sha felt like an open book in front of them. When these people spoke, it seemed like their words were full of hidden traps.
Zhu Sha didn’t feel disappointed or sad, though. She had long since learned to be at peace with herself. Everyone just had different personalities. She thought she was fine the way she was; there was no need to be a high-flying executive like everyone else seemed to be.
They played until about nine o’clock before everyone returned to their rooms. Zhu Sha had just finished washing up and sat down in front of the mirror when a task card from the production team arrived, accompanied by an envelope.
"Write a letter to a male guest you’re interested in? If two people choose each other twice, they will be automatically paired for the Saturday date. Otherwise, the production team will arrange the pairings at their discretion."
Reading the contents of the task card word by word, Zhu Sha dried her hair. She stared at the stationery for a long time before finally writing a single line on it and dropping it into the mailbox on the first floor.
Just as she was about to head upstairs, a director called out to her. "Sasha, you have mail."
Zhu Sha hadn’t even looked at the women’s mailbox. She was still a bit dazed after the director’s reminder, not thinking anyone would have written to her. But when she opened the mailbox, she saw there were two letters for her, one for Ji Ying, and another for Lin Meng.
Zhu Sha grabbed the four letters and, after delivering the others one by one, took the remaining two into her bedroom. Yun Lan had been watching through the crack of her door for a long time. Seeing that there were none for her, she turned back and sat down on her bed.
Looking at her own letters, Zhu Sha just knew one was from Lu Mofeng. She didn’t read Lu Mofeng’s letter, instead turning to the other one first. The contents on the stationery were very simple: "It was great seeing you today. I hope you will be happy every day from now on."
Zhu Sha stared at the words "be happy" for a long time, an unconscious smile touching her lips.
Then she opened Lu Mofeng’s letter. It contained only a single sentence: "The roses in the greenhouse have bloomed, and there is no one to appreciate them anymore."
Zhu Sha’s smile gradually faded. She folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. She had never liked roses. When she and Lu Mofeng lived together, she barely ever went into the greenhouse. The only one who went there to admire the roses was Lu Mofeng himself.
Even though it was the first day of filming and her first night in the house, Zhu Sha slept very well. Around five-thirty, she appeared in the first-floor kitchen.
The other guests were woken up by waves of a sweet fragrance. The male guests on the first floor were the first to be affected, feeling as though wisps of the aroma were sneaking right into their noses, making it impossible to keep sleeping.
Zhou Jintang was the first to emerge from his room. By then, it was already six o’clock. Dressed in a simple T-shirt and long pants, he asked, "Whipping up a feast this early in the morning?"
Zhu Sha was engrossed in piping custard filling when Zhou Jintang’s sudden words made her flinch, resulting in a ruined cream puff.
"Morning," Zhu Sha said with a smile after composing herself. "Just some little pastries. I’m going to make seafood congee in a bit. Would you like to have some?"
"Yes, please," Zhou Jintang smiled. "I’m always freeloading off you. Need any help?"
"No, thanks," Zhu Sha immediately refused. "I don’t like having people next to me when I’m cooking."
"Alright, I’ll go for a run then. I’ll be back in forty minutes." Zhou Jintang didn’t insist. Matters of the heart couldn’t be rushed.
At seven o’clock, all the guests had gathered in the dining room. Yun Lan seemed to have woken up early, her makeup perfectly applied. "Sasha, what time did you get up? I didn’t get to sleep until one last night, just tossed and turned."
Zhu Sha came over with a plate of fried eggs. "I went to sleep right after writing my letter. I’m not a light sleeper, so my sleep quality is pretty good."
"I fried some eggs—there are runny yolks and fully cooked ones, so take your pick." Zhu Sha smiled as she sat down in her usual spot. "There’s also seafood congee and pasta, whatever you’re in the mood for."
Ji Ying swiftly snatched a runny-yolk egg. "Sasha, why don’t we just spend the rest of our lives together? Can you imagine how blissful it would be to wake up to delicious food every day?"
Zhu Sha laughed. "I don’t think so. Cooking is just a hobby. I wouldn’t like having to cook for someone every day."
"That’s true," Ji Ying mused. "If someone asked me to cook every day, I wouldn’t be willing to put up with it either."
Zhu Sha said, "By the way, I’m going out to do some shopping later. It’s Lin Meng’s turn to cook today, right? Do you want me to pick up the ingredients for you, or will you go buy them yourself after work?"
Lin Meng considered the timing. "I’ll have to trouble you to get them for me, then. If I go to the supermarket after work, I won’t be back until seven. Zhuo Yan, you don’t have any objections, right?"
Zhuo Yan quickly shook his head. "No objections. Thanks for the help, Sasha."
Zhu Sha: "It’s no trouble. I need to buy things anyway, so it’s on my way."
After finishing his breakfast, Zhou Jintang asked, "Sasha, can I take a box of these pastries to work?"
Zhu Sha nodded. "Take some if you like. I made plenty."