Chapter 2 — Couple Bracelets

The program is a slow reality show, with four fixed guests: two men and two women. I was a flying guest (only in one episode). Originally, my "status" was not enough to be invited, it was just thanks to Luc Chap's "fame-seeking". The sun was hot, I stood at the front of the village, fanning the wind with my hand. As I was about to drag my suitcase in, I suddenly heard a noise behind me, and I reflexively turned my head. And I saw... a pair of long legs coming out of a black nanny car. As if realizing my gaze, that person stopped and tilted his head to look over. Neatly cut black hair, high nose bridge, sharp facial features. That face is clearly perfect in every detail, but the dark eyes are too cold, making people feel distant and not easy to approach. Me: “……” Hasn't this man never participated in a reality show before!? Can anyone explain to me why he appeared here!? 3The thought of running away turned around in my head a few times, but remembering the contract violation fee, I gritted my teeth and endured it. Isn't it just an ex-boyfriend, is there anything you wouldn't dare to face? Furthermore, there were a few other guests. With my "status", I probably wouldn't have many chances to interact with him. Luc Chap came closer and closer. I've imagined countless times about meeting him again, but I never thought there would be a camera pointed straight at my face like this. Therefore, the "cool goodbye" in my imagination suddenly turned into a friendly smile that automatically emitted. "Hello, Mr. Luc!" No way, the two of you are eighteen levels apart, shouldn't you be respectful? Luc Chap looked cold and nodded slightly: "Hello." I was a little stunned. This sentence... is exactly like the first time we met. It was also a hot summer like this... After several years of not seeing each other, this man's voice had lost its youthful immaturity, replaced by a more steady, mature tone. One thing remains the same - still cold as ever. Just like him, always stubborn and cold, as if no one could warm him up. I was very reasonable and kept a distance of two steps from him. The road at the beginning of the village is a dirt road, quite difficult to walk, my heavy suitcase kept dragging and creaking. The filming director's eyes kept moving back and forth between me and Luc Chap. "Mr. Luc, Ms. Thinh's luggage seems to be very heavy, right?" Even a blind person could see that he was trying to "create trouble". Anyway, after that scandal, this is the first time Luc Chap and I appear in the same frame. If they can film some "shady scenes", the program crew will make a lot of money. My heart tightened slightly. No matter how chaotic the last incident was, I still dared to let Luc Chap help me carry things? I quickly laughed it off: "It's not that serious, it's just a few small things." Luc Chap actually stopped for a moment, glanced at me, then turned to the director and asked: "I remember the show was filmed in one and a half days, right?" Me: “……” Luc Chap, what do you mean!? I just brought a little too much stuff! At that time, I was sent to the mountains, feeling angry and worried about not being able to get used to life, so I almost moved half the house with me. Just to carry things from the car to the house and arrange them neatly, Luc Chap had to run back and forth all afternoon. At that time, he didn't even say a word to complain, but now when we meet again, he turns on sarcastic mode? The filming director was bewildered: "Ah... right... that's right..." I started to feel sorry for him. He was eager to film the ambiguous couple scene, but he didn't expect that in Luc Chap's eyes, I was a "criminal". It was a great honor for the crew that he didn't stop filming on the spot. Luckily, at that moment, someone came out to greet us, breaking the awkward atmosphere. “Luc

Accept, Thinh Dao! Welcome! The person who came was Chu Vien, over forty years old, veteran actor, also a fixed guest of the show, specializing in hosting the content. "You two haven't eaten anything, right? You just arrived at the right time, come in quickly!" Everyone gathered around the dinner table. Luc Chap and I arrived late so we had to sit next to each other. But as long as I didn't have to talk to him privately, I felt much more comfortable. "Thinh Dao, try this braised eggplant dish? I did it myself!” I smiled unexpectedly: “Really? Then I—" Eggplant is my love! But before I could pick it up, Luc Chap's faint voice suddenly rang out next to me: "She's allergic to eggplant, she probably can't eat it." ??? Luc Chap, what the hell are you making up!? 4Chu Vien looked at me with wide eyes: “Oh my god, sorry, I didn't know. So Thinh Dao, don't eat this dish anymore, let's get another dish, okay?" Living under someone else's roof, how can I not bow my head? In front of the camera like this, I deeply suspect that if I asked Luc Chap now, "What are you doing?", everyone would think that I was deliberately trying to make trouble with him. I had to forced a forced smile, regretfully looking at the eggplant plate that was almost pushed away: "Ha ha, no... it's okay, senior is being too polite." "Eh? But... Luc Chap, how does Luc Chap know that Thinh Dao is allergic to eggplant?" A sharp female voice interjected at just the right moment. I raised my head to look. The person who spoke was Me Linh - famous idol, girl group member, and also a fixed guest on the show. She is the "happy vitamin" of the show, with a lively personality and always volunteering to work first, so she is extremely loved by the audience. Unlike me, negative reviews were flying everywhere. "Didn't Thinh Dao once say... you two aren't close?" She asked while blinking her eyes innocently, as if she was really just curious. My hand holding the chopsticks stopped. Actually, it's okay to be asked that... the problem is... Luc Chap is sitting right next to me! Luc Chap did not raise his head, his voice was calm: "We used to eat together before." His tone was very calm, as if he was saying "it's a beautiful sunny day". Anyone who listens will think that what he means is that they have attended a party together. Even if they are not very close, in the same circle they often have friends invite them to eat together, which is too normal. But I suddenly felt guilty. Speaking of which, I... made up the eggplant allergy story to fool Luc Chap! The day I was taken to the mountains, I stayed at his house. Luc Chap's parents died early, and he lived with his grandmother since he was young. That place is poor, the mountain roads are bumpy, and the houses are shabby. The kitchen was even more miserable, dark, with only the stove. I was on a hunger strike all day, refusing to eat even a single bite. In the middle of the night, I woke up so hungry that I really couldn't stand it so I went to the kitchen to see if there was anything else I could eat. Unexpectedly, while rummaging through the pile of things, he was caught by Luc Chap. "Hungry?" He stood outside the small narrow door, his dark eyes were calm, neither surprised nor mocking. I said forcefully: "I just see my grandmother working so hard to cook rice and it's just a bit rude for me not to eat it." "It's okay." Luc Chap also didn't ask why I didn't say that during the day, just softly explained: "I cooked it." Me: "..." Twenty minutes later, I sat on a low chair, eating an entire plate of braised eggplant. "I'm actually allergic to eggplant, eating it will make me tired, I won't have the energy to do anything. But it's not good to wake the old lady up, so that's it for today." After eating, I was in a good mood again. Luc Chap nodded, seeming to listen, but also seemed not to care. Back then he was quiet, I said ten sentences and he would only answer one. That only made me look even more like a noisy and immature child. Like all actions.

My actions in his eyes are all those of a child causing miscellaneous troubles. With no place to let out my accumulated emotions, I had to take this opportunity and casually approach him: "My allergies seem to be a bit severe, Luc Chap, can you see if my lips are swollen?" The distance suddenly shortened, our breaths intersected, the moonlight flowed like water through the small window, illuminating the young man's eyes - momentarily shocked and then confused. "Thinh Dao, let's go catch eels later, it's so fun!" Maybe because of seeing Luc. Chap didn't say anything more, Me Linh quickly changed the subject. "Luc Chap, there is also a fish pond in the village, you can go fishing!"