Chapter 90: Frightened to Tears

After Qi Jiajia and Zhang Chen crossed the bridge, the others were finally able to get on as well. Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei chose to go next, followed by Li Jiayan and Xu Junze, with Chu Yao and Wen Yiming bringing up the rear.

Ye Fangfei also had a fear of heights, though not as intense as Zhang Chen’s. She knew she shouldn’t look down, as the more she looked, the weaker her legs felt. So, her gaze only dropped when she had to take a step forward; otherwise, she fixed her eyes on Lu Zhou, who was walking right ahead of her.

“Don’t go too fast. I’m afraid you’ll pull me off the bridge,” she said with a nervous joke after taking a couple of steps from the entrance.

Lu Zhou, having been told in advance about her acrophobia, was naturally considerate. He paused after almost every step to wait for her.

“If you’re worried, we can walk in sync. The bridge is wide enough for two people to walk side by side,” he said, turning back to her.

Ye Fangfei considered this for a moment, weighing where her fear was truly coming from, and then nodded.

“Let’s walk together. I think I’ll feel a little safer that way,” she agreed.

On the far side, Zhang Chen, who had already crossed, didn’t immediately move on to the next task. Instead, he stood and watched for a while. When he noticed Ye Fangfei and Lu Zhou had paused, he realized she, like him, was afraid of heights.

Suddenly, he felt reassured about himself. Only those who share the same fear can truly understand this terror—those who aren’t afraid of heights simply can’t relate!

“Fangfei, don’t stop! Take a deep breath and keep going! You can do it!” Zhang Chen, who had been trembling with fear just moments before, was now the one cheering others on.

Ye Fangfei had no mind to respond. She steadied her breathing, preparing to step onto the plank where Lu Zhou stood.

“Do you need me to hold your hand?” Lu Zhou reached out to her.

She shook her head. “No, I’ll manage on my own.”

With that, she stepped over. The bridge swayed as it took both their weights.

“Oh, that’s a bit scary,” Ye Fangfei muttered, her brow furrowing as she gripped the railing tightly.

Lu Zhou reached out to steady her arm.

“Are you alright?” he asked in a low voice, gazing down at her.

His voice was so close, and as their eyes met, she nodded silently.

This scene nearly made Zhang Chen explode with anxiety from across the bridge.

“It’s scarier standing together! The bridge will shake more!” he called out in warning.

But Lu Zhou and Ye Fangfei ignored him; standing together was a choice Ye Fangfei had made after careful consideration.

“Do you feel more afraid now, or a little calmer?” Lu Zhou asked.

“A bit better,” Ye Fangfei replied.

“So, do you want to rush across all at once, or take it one step at a time?”

“Let’s do it all at once. That’s how Zhang Chen made it across, right? It seemed to work for him,” she said, though uncertain, but at least Zhang Chen had proved it could be done—even with his fear, he’d managed, so she could too.

“Alright. Tell me when you’re ready, and we’ll step forward together on the count of three.” Lu Zhou released her arm.

Looking straight ahead, Ye Fangfei took two or three deep breaths in succession.

“I’m ready.”

“One, two, three!”

Together, they stepped onto the next plank, then the next, and the next—their pace quickened.

They were almost at the end—victory within sight. But just before the last plank, Ye Fangfei, in her haste, misjudged her step. Her foot missed the plank, and she suddenly tilted toward the open gap, nothing but a chasm below.

“Ah! Lu Zhou!”

Ye Fangfei’s heart lurched violently, and she let out a terrified scream.

Sensing something wrong, Lu Zhou grabbed the railing and, with quick reflexes, swung sideways to pull her back.

The veins stood out on his arm as he hauled her in with a force born of urgency; he didn’t restrain his strength, and she fell straight into his chest, her chin bumping painfully against him.

Whether it was the shock of the moment or the pain from her chin striking his chest, tears welled up in her eyes.

Because of the sudden movement, the bridge swayed violently. The two of them clung together, remaining in that position for a long time before regaining their balance.

The other contestants at both ends of the bridge were left speechless by the harrowing scene.

Watching Ye Fangfei nearly miss her step and fall was truly heart-stopping. Even though everyone knew there were safety measures and she couldn’t really fall, that brief drop was enough to make one’s blood run cold.

For a moment, no one cared whether their posture was appropriate, nor did any exes have time to feel jealous.

Ye Fangfei couldn’t calm herself, her nerves still frazzled. She lay against Lu Zhou’s chest, her breathing ragged.

As the bridge gradually steadied, Lu Zhou could feel the girl in his arms was still shaken.

He lifted a hand to gently stroke her hair, comforting her in a soft voice, “Don’t be afraid. It’s over. You’re safe now.”

Ye Fangfei didn’t know why, but suddenly her nose tingled and she wanted to cry. Tears spilled out without warning.

It took a long while before she recovered from the shock.

“I cried from fear,” she muttered quietly, only loud enough for the two of them to hear.

Lu Zhou’s lips curled into a faint, barely-there smile. He lowered his voice and said, “It’s perfectly normal for a young lady to be scared to tears.”

Ye Fangfei: “…”

“So embarrassing,” she whispered after a pause.

“It’s not embarrassing,” Lu Zhou replied.

“Can I wipe my tears on your shirt? I don’t want the cameras to catch me crying. I’ll buy you a new one later,” she mumbled.

Lu Zhou’s smile deepened as he said, “Go ahead.”

So Ye Fangfei unabashedly wiped her tears on his shirt, then stepped back from his embrace as if nothing had happened.

“Only two steps left. Do you think you can keep going?” Lu Zhou asked.

Ye Fangfei nodded. “Let’s go. Let’s get off this cursed bridge.”

“Alright, let’s finish it.”

He offered her his hand. “Need a hand?”

This time, Ye Fangfei took his hand willingly, and together, they crossed the final two planks.

The livestream chat exploded—

[Fangfei nearly died of fright]
[This bridge is a nightmare for anyone afraid of heights]
[I know it’s wrong to ship them at a time like this, but I can’t help it! They’re so sweet!]
[The atmosphere is everything! If these two don’t end up together, I’ll eat my words on livestream]
...

Having made it across, Ye Fangfei’s ordeal was over. Zhang Chen finally had the mental space to feel jealous about what he’d just witnessed, but even so, the sourness in his heart was nothing compared to the worry he’d felt for her.

His own fear of heights was the very reason he’d hesitated to cross, so he could fully relate to Ye Fangfei’s terror.

“Are you alright?” Zhang Chen came over, genuinely concerned.

Ye Fangfei looked at him, mustering a relaxed smile, pretending she was perfectly fine. “I’m okay now. It was just scary for a moment.”

“I’m glad you’re alright. You really scared me,” Zhang Chen breathed a sigh of relief when he saw she was okay.

After a moment’s thought, he added indignantly, “I’m going to file a complaint with the production team.”

The staff: “…”