CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37: POOL PUNISHMENT ARRIVES~

The eight people quickly sat down by the pool. Mu Qiu, wearing a red armband, sat on the left side of the pool, not far from them, on a special MVP chair provided by the program team, drinking special drinks and eating special fruits, watching their various poses.

Cheng Zhirang, Su Yan, and Shi Yuhuai chose the most basic position of sitting with their backs turned, and perhaps as a deliberate arrangement, they ended up sitting together.

Blue sky, swimming pool, three handsome men, it was a visual feast.

Mu Qiu could already imagine Zhao Yu watching this scene on his phone, frantically bleeding from the nose and unable to breathe, desperately in need of first aid.

A little further from them, Lin Banyan, Guan Yu, and Shu Ran sat together. Lin Banyan also sat with his back turned, but Guan Yu chose to face the punishment head-on.

She hugged a pillow, taken from who knows where, with her eyes wide open and a resolute determination.

Shu Ran was sitting sideways like Li Yang next to her, curling up her legs on the edge of the pool, still talking to Li Yang and the others.

Actually, Li Yang probably didn’t want to talk much.

He was also sitting sideways, constantly glancing back to see when the inflatable doll would appear behind him, visibly nervous.

The strangest pose belonged to Zhu Qi... He was actually standing. Standing with his back to the doll, arms posed like that Titanic scene.

According to his theory, he had measured the longest point from the ground where the doll could reach, and it would hit his butt, the softest part of his body, so there wouldn’t be any injury.

...A scientific approach indeed.

The taste of honey pomelo tea spread in Mu Qiu’s mouth as she enjoyed it leisurely, listening to the director’s shout to start.

[Is my long-awaited wet moment finally coming?!]

[I can’t believe my brother is doing this in a reality show... I love it!]

[Please, program team, more punishments like these, although it might be a waste of tissues with the drooling and nosebleeds, I can afford it.]

[Su Yan! Su Yan! I’m waiting for you in the pool water!]

[Here it comes! Start! Brother Cheng, wet! (shouted at the top of one’s lungs)]

[No, Yangyang!]

"The punishment begins now, the doll starts moving randomly."

The first victim was Zhu Qi.

Sure enough, with Changtong’s equipment, the speed of inflation was no joke. In the blink of an eye, Zhu Qi flew out like a kite in a big X shape, with a splash diving into the pool.

It was true the butt was hit, and the splash from the dive was unexpectedly large, soaking Li Yang, causing him to shiver involuntarily.

Then he immediately got up, stepping back, "It’s so scary! It’s too fast!"

Zhu Qi had already surfaced, brushed his hair back, and floated in the water yelling at him, "Don’t be scared, Li Yang, it’s just a momentary thing! This is going to happen no matter what!"

Over at the director’s side, the staff were already operating a small inflatable machine aimed right at him.

Li Yang shivered again, then timidly ran back to sit down, still constantly looking back.

"Li Yang, don’t look back, the more you look, the more nervous you’ll get." Cheng Zhirang’s gentle voice soothed him.

Li Yang nodded, about to sit properly, when Guan Yu, facing the doll, screamed, arching into the pool in a short, parabolic trajectory.

The scream just faded, followed by a splash, and the water in the pool splashed onto Mu Qiu.

Li Yang shivered even more.

Mu Qiu patted the water off her, her eyes fixed on the nearest Cheng Zhirang.

This was the punishment she was most eager to see.

Before Guan Yu could climb out of the pool, the third person was sent down right after.

No, it was the third and fourth people.

Shi Yuhuai and Lin Banyan were knocked down simultaneously, Lin Banyan’s long hair formed a temporary surface on the water.

Compared to the two just before, their performance was indeed impressive.

Mu Qiu glanced at their long legs submerged in the water, producing an inexplicable sense of the pool being merely a small bath for babies.

Shi Yuhuai helped Lin Banyan to the pool’s edge, Lin Banyan was just about to climb out when the fifth person quickly went underwater.

Su Yan dived in, splashing water all over the faces of both people, and somehow pushed Lin Banyan back into the water, sitting down again.

Mu Qiu shifted her gaze, warning herself not to indulge in too much gossip.

Now, only Cheng Zhirang, Li Yang, and Shu Ran remained onshore.

Li Yang, overwhelmed, began pleading with the director, "Director! I can’t take it anymore, please just do it! I want to be next!"

The director sternly refused him.

Next up was Cheng Zhirang.

With a splash, he fell into the water, three handsome men now gathered in the swimming pool.

Mu Qiu instinctively took a deep sip of honey pomelo tea, eyes unblinking as she focused on the man emerging from the water.

Sure enough, there were abs.

[I’m bewitched, all because of those eight-pack abs!]

[Why are these guys not only handsome but also have abs?! How are we supposed to live?!]

[Is that a male fan I’ve spotted?!]

[I told you my man has abs!]

[I’m conflicted about which to look at—Shi Yuhuai’s legs, Su Yan’s face, or Brother Cheng’s abs]

[I’m like the author on-site; I don’t want to be myself anymore]

[Water droplets flowing down from Brother Cheng’s eyebrows, nose, lips... onto the Adam’s apple, the chest!!!]

[Sorry, my reproductive capacity is limited, can’t even bear triplets, sorry]

[Pool wet... forever push for this program team!]

Cheng Zhirang was wearing the same green team uniform as Mu Qiu; wet from the water the color deepened and clung to him, and as he climbed out of the pool, his waist muscles tightened, back and shoulder muscles expanded, wide shoulders and narrow waist complete with long legs breaking the water, and that single-hand swipe of black short hair, superior facial features...

"Sss—"

The honey pomelo tea ran out, creating a hollow sound from the straw.

Mu Qiu discreetly popped a grape into her mouth, then handed him the towel placed beside her.

"Brother Cheng, towel."

"Thanks."

He nods and thanks her, tilting his head as he uses the white towel to dry his hair and neck, then runs it over his clothes to absorb the water.

An extremely standout appearance has a very strong appeal, and she didn’t even notice the terrified expression of the last one to be shot into the water, Li Yang, could only hear his continual screams, entwined with Shu Ran’s previous descent, creating a male and female duet.

Li Yang splashed into the water with a few gulps before emerging, covering his face with his hands to wipe away the water, eagerly opening his mouth, taking big gulps of air.

Cheng Zhirang was right at the edge, reaching out to pull him.

Li Yang instinctively extended his hand, the two connected like good brothers, palm to palm producing a sound akin to applause, then Cheng Zhirang applied some force, pulling Li Yang up with two quick steps to the shore.

"Thanks, Brother Cheng."

"No problem."

The real issue was for all the spectators watching, feeling dry and itchy-handed.