Sure, he’d booked a whole hotel, but the premium suites were limited. They’d reserve one for Pei Yan, of course. Pei Haochuan wanted to keep the rest “in the family,” whispering arrangements with Guan Mulin. For everyone else: Free rooms if you want; otherwise, pay elsewhere. He was generous enough already.
Shen Ju stood by Pei Yan, ignoring the room talk, but he did notice Xu Sisi kept eyeing Pei Haochuan.
Not just him—996 went on high alert: 【Host, this is…】
996: 【Rival!】
Shen Ju: 【Rival!!】
Man and system spoke in unison, nearly startling Guan Mulin.
Rival? What rival?
Guan Mulin looked baffled, glancing around without spotting anyone.
Pei Haochuan noticed and looked up: “What’re you staring at?”
“Hey, Mulin, there are suite floors with multiple rooms. Why not just bunk together?”
Pei Haochuan tossed out super casually.
He was thinking of how Guan Mulin had shot him down before—testing the waters.
Not even sharing a bedroom this time. No way he’d refuse now, right?
But before Guan Mulin could reply, someone cut in:
“You two are so close. What happens when you get girlfriends though?”
Xu Sisi joked: “Girlfriends get jealous, y’know.”
“And Pei Haochuan, are you Guan Mulin’s lapdog? Gotta room together even on a trip? Don’t wanna cramp his style chasing girls, do ya?”
Alert! Alert! Alert!
996 blared alarms in Shen Ju’s mind.
Guan Mulin desperately wanted to cover his ears.
Why do I have to suffer this noise alone?
So the “rival” is Xu Sisi?
Who does she like? Pei Haochuan?
This System’s scared Pei Haochuan might fall for someone else…
996 fumed indignantly: 【Host! Task-stealer incoming!】
[Don’t worry about rivals—just worry if the bond strengthening the Protagonist Gong and Shou’s relationship isn’t you! ]
Guan Mulin: “…“
OK, he was overthinking it.
[So Host, you have to stick close to Pei Haochuan and Guan Mulin. Don’t let anyone else steal your “credit”! ]
[Got it! ]
Shen Ju replied to 996 while plop leaning right up against Guan Mulin.
“Let me take a peek—how many rooms do we have in total?”
Shen Ju leaned against Guan Mulin and tilted up his little chin toward him. “Mom said when we left that you’re supposed to take good care of me!”
Actually, it was mutual care between the two of them.
Pei Haochuan couldn’t help but tsk. He pointed at Shen Ju and turned to Xu Sisi. “This one’s the real lapdog!”
“Right, Shen Ju…”
Pei Haochuan twisted his head back again, as if he’d finally realized something. “How did I only just notice? Every time I say something to Mulin, you pop up. You a mole or what?”
Shen Ju’s brain worked in quirky ways. “Because I deserve a beating?”
Pei Haochuan: “…“
You know it!!
Han Chengfeng came over to join the fun too. “Hey, how many suites are there? Cramming in together sounds fine—more convenient, right?”
“That’s true.”
Ke Sheng immediately scooted closer.
The group started muttering among themselves, chatting about how to divvy up the rooms.
Xu Sisi felt ignored and grew annoyed.
She was about to say something…
But a figure beat her to it, stepping forward.
Pei Yan grabbed Shen Ju by the collar from behind.
“Huh?”
Shen Ju whipped his head around, eyes wide.
Pei Yan held up the keycard for the first assigned suite. “Let Pei Haochuan and Guan Mulin take the one next door. You’re rooming with me, right? Weren’t you gonna learn to ski from me?”
“Does skiing require sharing a room?”
Shen Ju paused to process, then even mimed a couple ski moves with both arms outstretched. “Do I need to practice the motions in the room first?”
Pei Yan: “…Yeah.“
“Oh!”
That worked!
He wasn’t too keen on sharing a suite with Pei Haochuan anyway.
Ke Sheng and Han Chengfeng exchanged a glance. A suite maxed out at three rooms, so the two of them…
Before they could think further, Pei Haochuan shoved a suite keycard their way. “Perfect, you two bunk together.”
“…“
They wanted to object, but three to a suite would be cramped. Ke Sheng didn’t want to squeeze in, and Han Chengfeng wanted to room with Shen Ju but wasn’t bold enough to bunk with Pei Yan—he wasn’t some fearless warrior like Shen Ju.
So in the end, they reluctantly agreed to share.
Fine, whatever…
Pei Haochuan glanced at the remaining keycards and at Xu Sisi. “Didn’t you just ask how many rooms are on this floor?”
Xu Sisi’s face lit up. “Yeah, I…”
“Perfect.”
As he spoke, Pei Haochuan handed all the keycards to Xu Sisi.
“You can count ’em against the room numbers yourself. Each floor has a different number, and I’m not sure. You all sort it out.”
With that, he called the others over…
“Come pick your own from here, but our floor’s probably taken.”
After all, they had the top-tier suites—huge rooms that three of them filled up an entire floor.
He gave a quick wave to the rest and dragged his luggage off with Guan Mulin and the others toward the suites.
They were all classmates, some even from the same class, but Pei Haochuan had no intention of herding everyone together. Too many people, and fun would be stifled, so they could each do their own thing.
Whoever wanted to hang out could pair up themselves.
He wasn’t babysitting.
Seeing Pei Haochuan act like he was talking to a brick wall, Shen Ju and 996 both breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
But they were staying here for days—couldn’t drop their guard yet.
The Task Energy Bar was finally climbing steadily; no surprises allowed.
Shen Ju resolved to stick tight to Guan Mulin and Pei Haochuan.
But what Shen Ju didn’t expect… Everyone else was hitting the advanced slopes, taking the gondola to the peak. Only he, the total beginner, had to practice on the newbie run, chugging up the “magic carpet” lift.
The “split” happened right there—Shen Ju suffered a total disaster!
Jackpot for Pei Haochuan.
He’d called Shen Ju a lapdog, and sure enough, the guy tailed him and Guan Mulin everywhere!
From the moment they dropped their bags, he’d knocked, insisting they all go eat together.
To Pei Haochuan, the attitude reeked—blatantly ordering Guan Mulin around to “take care” of him, then shooting smug looks his way. Pure provocation!
Guan Mulin threw a couple barbs back, sure, but then… he actually went along with it?!
Pei Haochuan itched to snap, “Don’t bend over backwards like that,” but every time he saw the look on Guan Mulin’s face, the words stuck in his throat.
He genuinely couldn’t spot any reluctance on Guan Mulin’s part…
He truly didn’t get it…
What kind of dynamic is this?!
It was driving Pei Haochuan nuts!
[What do I do, Brother 996? ]
Shen Ju fretted: [Should I wait till they hit the advanced run, then sneak up? I won’t ski down—just take the gondola back, that should work, right? ]
Of course not!!
Pei Yan and Guan Mulin both looked stern.
Pei Yan’s expression even turned dangerous.
Disobedient kid.
Needed a lesson.
“You stick with me on the beginner slope. I’ll teach you to ski,” Pei Yan said flatly.
“But…”
Shen Ju hesitated. Earlier, when they were heading out, Xu Sisi had come over saying she and her friends were hitting the advanced run and inviting them along. If he hadn’t stalled on purpose…
“No buts.”
Pei Yan narrowed his eyes dangerously at Shen Ju.
Once suited up in ski gear, Shen Ju looked perfectly round, especially in that bright orange-dominant outfit—not like an orange, but a plump, waddling orange tabby cat. His hands, thick-gloved, fidgeted in front as if itching to scoot toward Guan Mulin and Pei Haochuan again… He’d been like this the whole time; Pei Yan had held his tongue until now.
Sneaky little pup, thinking no one noticed.
Guan Mulin didn’t want Shen Ju tagging along either.
For one, Shen Ju had never even tried a beginner slope—advanced was out of the question.
Even if he went up and didn’t ski, safety wasn’t guaranteed.
And there was no need anyway.
With that thought, Guan Mulin spun and smack—slapped Pei Haochuan’s shoulder. “Let’s pick a fight.”
Pei Haochuan had been gloating over finally ditching Shen Ju when the words hit him like a brick. “Huh????
He hadn’t even processed it…
“What fight? Fight about what?”
Guan Mulin said coolly, “Can’t you tell Xu Sisi likes you?”
“She seems to hate my guts.”
“What????
Pei Haochuan was even more baffled. “For real?!!
“But even if Xu Sisi likes me, that’s not my problem, right? And…”
Pei Haochuan puzzled, “Mulin, are you mad?”
Guan Mulin: “…Yeah.“
“Huh?” Pei Haochuan blinked wide, peering closely at Guan Mulin.
Now Guan Mulin was genuinely annoyed. “I can’t just embarrass a girl, but every time she comes around, she’s taking jabs at me. And it all boils down to you.”
Not just these few times today.
Guan Mulin had thought Xu Sisi just plain disliked him. Turns out it was because of Pei Haochuan…
He wouldn’t have realized without that “rival” tip-off from 996 and Shen Ju today.
“But Xu Sisi told me not to hold you back from finding a girlfriend.”
Pei Haochuan muttered, “I remember that clear as day.”
Guan Mulin: “…”
Bro, that’s straight-up flirting!!
Hearing 996 whoop that the Task Energy Bar had surged again, he pressed his lips and turned to leave… Fighting really worked wonders. Now Shen Ju wouldn’t sweat the “task” getting stolen. Laying it out like this, Pei Haochuan should know to keep his distance from Xu Sisi—he had zero interest and wouldn’t lead her on anyway.
“Hey, Guan Mulin! Wait up!”
Pei Haochuan tsked. “Why ignore me? Feeling guilty?”
Guilty my ass!
Guan Mulin walked faster.
Shen Ju stood there, no longer torn about tailing them.
Just…
He couldn’t help rubbing his chin. This “twist” came at the perfect moment, huh?
