Chapter 296: The Unknown Partner

Suddenly grabbed by the hand, Yan Chuan’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
The magician wore silk gloves, and the coolness of his fingertips lightly brushed against his palm, creating a ticklish sensation.
However, Jiang Qi finished the formalities and released his hand, walking straight ahead to open the door himself.
With the lingering coolness in his palm, Yan Chuan was surrounded by Ke Li and Shan Qi.
On his left was a handsome, tall young man, while a man with a buzz cut and a somewhat stern expression on his right completely encircled the slender black-haired youth, naturally holding his wrist, unwilling to let go.
Yan Chuan: …
Not necessary.
But perhaps these two were just concerned for his safety, so Yan Chuan hesitated to say much, instead hanging his head embarrassedly and staring at the ground.
With a creak, the door opened.
Inside, the lights were off. Jiang Qi stepped in first, moving ahead like he was feeling his way.
With Shan Qi and Ke Li flanking him, Yan Chuan’s steps were slightly larger than before.
The “punishment room” was quite spacious.
It felt like entering an open, expansive space with no end in sight, the floor covered in thick carpeting that muffled even the sound of footsteps.
It was a completely different world from the hall.
Yan Chuan could no longer hear other voices but only his own pounding heartbeat.
He cautiously moved forward, feeling the plush heaviness of the carpet and the cool touch on his wrist.
The cool fingertips rested on Yan Chuan’s right wrist, gently caressing the delicate inner side.
It was a little ticklish.
Yan Chuan’s well-defined brows knitted slightly as he wondered what Shan Qi was doing.
If he remembered correctly, Shan Qi was on his right side, merely holding his hand a moment ago. Why was he now starting to… touch him?
Yan Chuan couldn’t figure it out.
But the man on his right continued to guide him forward, boldly holding his palm, the long fingers trying to squeeze between his own.
Yan Chuan moved his wrist, somewhat annoyed as he tried to break free.
Yet the grip was strong, and he couldn’t escape; instead, he was completely held by the hand.
The ticklish sensation increased.
The room was very dark, and Yan Chuan could see nothing, so he slightly turned his face and whispered to Shan Qi beside him,
“What are you doing?”
He asked in a soft voice, unsure if the person next to him heard.
When he didn’t receive a response, he pressed his lips together and lightly ran his fingertip along Shan Qi’s hand.
He heard a soft chuckle by his ear.
It was so quiet that he almost thought he misheard, frowning in confusion.
Was that… Shan Qi’s voice?
Author’s Note:
Guess who it is~
Happy 520, everyone! I’m sending out twenty little red envelopes today~ *muah*
Chapter 91: Special Variety Show 7
The man holding Yan Chuan’s palm said to him, “Don’t be afraid.”
It was a comforting tone, with cool fingertips resting on his hand, the thin calluses gently rubbing over it.
Yet, Yan Chuan felt alarm bells ringing.
This was not Shan Qi’s voice.
Shan Qi had a lighter tone and a hint of nonchalance in his intonation. The voice he heard now was slightly deeper, quite magnetic.
The person holding him was not Shan Qi.
Instinctively, Yan Chuan moved his wrist, but the man next to him seemed to interpret this as fear-induced petulance and gently patted him.
He tightened his grip even further.
Yan Chuan was forced to feel the nearly icy temperature of the person beside him, as if leaning against a mountain made of ice.
The man was clearly much taller than him, with long legs and a large frame, easily enclosing Yan Chuan’s palm.
Yan Chuan pressed his lips together and responded quietly.
In the dark room, he could no longer hear anyone else’s footsteps; Ke Li and the others had disappeared.
Only the unfamiliar man who told him “don’t be afraid” remained beside him.
The man led Yan Chuan forward, seemingly unaffected by the darkness, even cheerfully stating that perhaps a wire was malfunctioning and he would fix it shortly.
He never mentioned anything about the escape variety show; instead, he comforted Yan Chuan as if they were quite close.
Was he still in the villa? Was this the “punishment” arranged by the escape variety show for him?
Where had Ke Li and the others gone? Weren’t they just holding his hand?
Yan Chuan’s thoughts were in disarray, and in response to the man’s attempts to engage him, he only mumbled a few vague replies.
The man did not seem to mind at all, used to his reserved nature. He even asked, “Are you still afraid of the dark?”
There was a hint of concern in his tone, almost like guilt: “It’s my fault; I should have checked the electrical system this morning before leaving.”
The man skillfully apologized, as if the sudden malfunction of the wire were his fault, trying to soothe the “terrified and speechless” Yan Chuan.
Yan Chuan: …
He blinked, shaking his head. “No…”
He wanted to say he wasn’t afraid of the dark and didn’t really want to see who the man next to him was once the lights were turned on.
The darkness provided a certain level of concealment, at least he didn’t have to confront the “man” beside him right away.
Yan Chuan’s heart raced.
Shan Qi had just been holding his hand and spoke to him before entering the door. He wouldn’t suddenly let go; he was clearly affected by the escape variety show’s influence.
He couldn’t see anyone else; only a stranger remained, likely because everyone else was facing the “punishment” of the show, having been taken to another place.
So whether they entered one by one or all together made no difference…
Yan Chuan felt his palm sweating.
It was from nervousness; just moments ago, he was playing the spin-the-wheel game with Shan Qi and the others in a brightly lit hall, surrounded by the noise of other contestants. Now he had suddenly stepped into a dark room with a stranger.