The mountain breeze, carrying the natural scent of freshness from the surrounding trees, made even the summer heat seem less oppressive.
Bao Ruanruan leaned against a tree, enjoying the shade.
She was lost in her thoughts of today's events.
Yesterday, she slept an hour less due to the 'Model' photo shoot.
With her detoxification weakened, tonight she planned to compensate with an hour of power walking, soaking her feet, and taking soothing oral solutions and probiotics—all in an attempt to make up for the loss.
Calculating this, Bao Ruanruan couldn't help but lower her pale face.
She covered her mouth and nose with her hand and yawned deeply.
A large tear seeped from between her closed, delicate eyelids.
Her long, black, curled lashes caught the glistening drop.
She quickly pulled out a handkerchief, turned her head, wiped the tear away, and sniffled.
Smelling the comforting scent of freshness, she couldn't help but yawn again, covering her mouth as her eyes reddened.
[!]
[? Wait, what happened?]
[I've been watching the show the whole time and am completely confused. Bro Lu was scolding Xiao Mengfei, right? Why did Bao Ruanruan run away crying, too?]
[OMG! As a novelist, I can't help but imagine that a cold-hearted President has broken the hearts of his Red Rose and White Rose at the same time, causing both the heroine and the second female lead to shed tears of sadness!]
[D*mn it, I'm kind of intrigued by this story.]
[HongTang1: Let's meet at the fan group!]
[??? Tang fans, what are you doing?]
[Are Tang Yuxin's fans having a get-together on our show? LOL, what's going on with you guys? Tell me what you guys are up to.]
A noob translator, きつね, translated this noob translation. Please read this chapter at xin-shou.site. If you read this in another location other than the site stated, it has been taken without the translator's permission. Please don't support this kind of act.
Everyone in the comments section was curious.
Bao Ruanruan yawned seven or eight times in front of the camera, unable to stop.
Helpless, her eyes kept welling up with tears.
The handkerchief in her hand was already half-soaked.
No, she had to move her body.
Bao Ruanruan immediately stood up, frowned, and took three deep breaths.
She looked up at the sky and began to stretch her neck.
[HongTang1 No. 1030: ! When she looks up at the sky, her tears won't fall, and she won't be sad.]
[BaiTang2: Is she really the victim? When she heard Lu Wenhao's voice, she was too scared to enter the courtyard. I could clearly see the fear on her face! She didn't intentionally disrupt the engagement ceremony; she just wanted an explanation, but ended up being oppressed and cyberbullied by the Lu family?]
[HongTang1 No. 130: I also think so. Otherwise, why would she cry when he scolded Xiao and not her? Could she be remembering how the Lu family bullied her?]
[HongTang1 No. 351: I think she's looking up at the sky and thinking - 'God, I want to see when you'll get rid of these pests!']
[HongTang1 No. 498: !!! Does this mean we've been scolding the wrong person all along? Help me!]
[HongTang1 No. 2934: Aahhhhh, that's impossible, right? Have I actually scolded an innocent girl?]
[BaiTang2: I'll investigate further and report back!]
......
Soon, the number of viewers in the livestream increased again. Many of Lu Wenhao's fans felt a sense of closeness when they saw HongTang1 and BaiTang2.
This is the sister-in-law fan club coming together.
They are boosting the show's popularity for their future brother-in-law.
Sister-in-law is truly the best sister-in-law.
Lu Wenhao's fans were very happy.
Fans of other artists also felt it was pretty harmonious; the Tang fans didn't cause any conflicts with them.
But Bao Ruanruan encountered a new problem.
The cameraman kept following her when she went for a walk. Following her was fine, but at the corner, she unexpectedly ran into the person worth 0.5 of a premium physical examination – Xiao Mengfei.
Truly, when two people meet on a narrow road, the brave one will win.
"Grandma, you didn't lie to me, did you? If I help you get the boots down, I'll get 100 points?" There was a hint of tears in Xiao Mengfei's voice today.
She was standing beneath a farmhouse with mottled walls.
A rather old wooden ladder, about two or three metres high, leaned against the rubble wall, propped up by the sloping triangular red-tiled roof.
On top of the roof was a pair of old-fashioned dark green army boots.
The laces seemed to be caught on the tiles. An elderly woman stood below, trying several times with a bamboo pole to get them down, but she still couldn't.
"Yes. 100 points!"
Xiao Mengfei bit her lip, "I'll go up then!"
Bao Ruanruan happened to walk by and was about to turn around to mind her own business, but the elderly woman grabbed her arm warmly.
"Girl, why weren't you here yesterday?"
"We haven't finished talking about the healthy recipes!"
Without her around, none of the younger people were willing to discuss health issues with the elders.
They had been looking for her all day yesterday!
Bao Ruanruan hurriedly explained that she had been working, and as she was talking, they walked under the eaves.
Instantly, she was forced to meet Xiao Mengfei's tear-reddened eyes.
Seeing Bao Ruanruan, Xiao Mengfei couldn't hold it in any longer.
She thought about how Lu Wenhao had been so patient with 'her' when she was the mascot while being harsh with her instead. At that moment, she felt wronged, and another tear fell from her eyes.
Bao Ruanruan: "...?"
She hadn't done anything to her.
Xiao Mengfei sniffled, her vision blurred with tears, unable to see clearly before her, as she stubbornly reached out to move the wooden ladder.
"Xiao Xiao, think about it again. This is your first time climbing a ladder without a safety rope!"
Her personal assistant was extremely nervous.
Since Bao Ruanruan's departure, Xiao Mengfei became the face of Huangtai.
If she fell and got scars, it would affect her future.
"Let's go clean the pigsty instead. You will definitely do better today than yesterday!"
But the accompanying PD laughed: "I'll be holding the ladder down, so everything will be fine. Teacher Xiao, you can get 100 points today without cleaning the pigsty."
"That's right!"
The red-eyed Xiao Mengfei nodded vehemently.
She placed the ladder against the wall, pressed it down hard to check its stability, and then stepped on it firmly.
She was going to get those 100 points!
With those points, she would pay back the cost of the pot and the meat!
Then she would give the rest of the points to Teacher Lu Wenhao!
She never paid when she went out as long as boys were around her.
That was why she never dreamed that Lu Wenhao would care so much about the cost of WiFi or pig labour scene shots!
Now she understood.
She would pay back everything!
After paying, no one would owe anyone anything, and she would quit the show.
She realised that her personality was simply not likeable.
She was just not cut out for reality TV!
No matter what, there would always be someone who dislike her.
She would concentrate on being a stage performer in the girl group in the future.
No more reality shows for her!
Xiao Mengfei's eyes were red with resentment as she stepped on the wooden ladder, not caring about the creaking wood or the slight wobble.
She stomped on it with more force each step!
The poor ladder went from wobbling slightly to swaying more and more.
It even let out a sharp crack.
Bao Ruanruan, who had been chatting with the grandmother all this time, suddenly felt tension in her scalp.
Looking up, she saw Xiao Mengfei about to ‘dismantle’ the ladder!
She stepped so hard on the rung between the second and third steps of the old wooden ladder with her left foot that it tilted to the lower left.
The angle of each step's inclination increased visibly.
This twisted deformation was familiar.
It was like the broken prop ladder Bao Ruanruan had once seen inside a dilapidated warehouse in the game!
That ladder – it can only hold someone under 40kg for five seconds!
It creaked more ominously with each heavy step.
Bao Ruanruan's eyelids twitched nervously.
Creak!
Another louder groan came from the fifth rung of the ladder as if it was struggling to bear the weight.
Bao Ruanruan bowed her head.
The 2.5-metre high ladder was 2 metres away from the ground she was standing on. If it fell down, it would completely crush her and the grandmother...
She took a deep breath.
Just then, Xiao Meifeng stepped onto the sixth rung with a heavy thud.
Like dominoes, the rarely used ladders that had just been taken out of storage began to collapse. Just then, the nail on the right side of the sixth rung gave way.
"Ah!"
Xiao Meifeng screamed.
Her right foot, which had just stepped onto the rung, suddenly lost its support.
It hit the fifth rung, and it, too, broke...followed by the fourth.
The entire support structure collapsed in an instant.
The seventh rung that Xiao Meifeng was desperately holding onto snapped.
The whole ladder shattered into pieces.
As she lost her grip, she began to fall.
The staff holding the bottom of the wooden ladder: "!"
"Xiao Xiao!"
Her assistant shouted and rushed forward.
Xiao Mengfei's face turned deathly pale, and her eyes were tightly closed.
She then braced herself for the impact.
However, a sweet, sun-warmed scent of tea filled her nostrils.
Then her back landed on something soft.
This softness also helped block the scorching sunlight beating down on her forehead.
Xiao Mengfei opened her tear-filled eyes in a daze.
She saw a blurry yet radiant, fair face through the haze of tears.
Behind that person were the dazzling sunlight, clouds, and a large apple tree.
That person was like a fairy.
One of that person's hands caught the falling debris of the collapsing wooden ladder, and the other hand held Xiao Mengfei.
Xiao Mengfei blinked.
She tried to see more clearly.
But suddenly, another broken piece of wood broke free from the wreckage!
It flew towards her face.
She closed her eyes in panic.
She didn't even have time to scream.
The warm, small hand on her back instantly pushed her away.
"Hold her still!"
Such a gentle yet powerful voice!
It was also pleasant to hear!
Xiao Mengfei was thrown aside and almost lost her balance. Her assistant quickly caught her, and she didn't even feel offended by the fairy's rough treatment.
Xiao Mengfei saw the 'fairy' standing there alone, and with a flick of her wrist, she sent the piece of wood, which was three times thicker than her arm, flying!
Xiao Mengfei's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Whew."
After dealing with the ladder, Bao Ruanruan let out a huge sigh of relief.
[!]
[Holy cow! What did I just see! Is that reaction speed even real?]
[OMG, that was so close! It's like watching a martial arts movie. Can anyone tell me if this is playing at 1x speed? This is Bao Ruanruan?! The one who debuted three years ago with no attention and then became famous for negative press, the good-for-nothing Bao Ruanruan?!]
[This isn't her first time. I suggest you go back and watch 'Restaurant' and 'Saturday'.]
[I've always heard that people can unleash extraordinary physical power in times of crisis. Like a mother who sees her child fall off the wall, she'll instantly burst with strength and run to catch the child!
Bao Ruanruan is the same. She looks delicate and fragile, but every time she's shown this burst of strength, it's been to save someone. Have you noticed?]
[...Ah, I don't know anything about bursts of power! All I know is that she's a fairy sister! She saved my Xiao Xiao. Who's crying? Me!]
[555 Truly tear-jerking, she pushed Xiao Xiao out of danger and stood there herself, I can't stop crying.
The whole world only knew how to blame my girl; only Bao Ruanruan came to see what she was doing, and she even saved her in a moment of crisis! I'm sobbing.]
With red eyes, Xiao Mengfei walked over to Bao Ruanruan.
Bao Ruanruan frowned slightly as she looked at her.
"That was too dangerous."
"You climbed up without checking the wooden ladder first, causing such a safety hazard. If you fell, not only would you be injured, but you could also hit elderly people or children passing by."
And then there was the innocent her.
How could such a weak woman like her run into such danger while taking a walk?
"Sigh, you guys need to cultivate safety awareness."
She really wanted to gather all these people together and give them a good lesson on it.
Bao Ruanruan shook her head helplessly.
Xiao Mengfei was completely petrified just now.
She didn't even know how to run when the broken wood fell.
She indeed lacked awareness.
In the game, she used to be the same, dying many times before finally growing up. But later, when she met such new teammates like Xiao Mengfei, she would be dragged down repeatedly, slowing down the team's escape speed and ultimately leading to their downfall.
Through trial and error, Bao Ruanruan came up with the optimal solution: let the newbies be safe first by pushing the unresponsive new teammates directly out of the danger zone! That way, the newcomers wouldn't panic and make random moves, giving the whole team a chance to survive.
This was all the experience she bought with her blood!
—Bao Ruanruan looked at Xiao Mengfei, patting her chest with lingering fear, her face even paler.
She was actually worried about herself!
As for Xiao Mengfei, who was sinking in fear, she looked up to see Bao Ruanruan's equally frightened and terrified expression.
Her eyes instantly reddened even more.
The fear in her heart even seemed to subside.
"It's me... I'm sorry, I was too impulsive."
This was the first time Xiao Mengfei had been given a serious lecture about safety.
Usually, she had a somewhat princess-like temperament and hated being ordered around.
But today, she didn't even feel angry or lose face.
She felt that Bao Ruanruan was so sincere, so kind...
Bao Ruanruan was doing it for her own good.
Even though she was obviously being scolded, Bao Ruanruan still advised her to be more careful next time!
No one had ever treated her like Bao Ruanruan.
Xiao Mengfei's heart surged with emotion.
Thinking back to the past...
At the restaurant, neither Lu Wenhao nor Qu Feifei liked her, but they never told her directly what she was supposed to do or what was wrong with her.
On their current reality show, Lu Wenhao was angry with her again. He thought she was a troublemaker and taking advantage of him.
But he hadn't said anything before about not liking to clean the pigsty, and she assumed he wanted screen time, too, so she let him shovel the manure.
Weren't all men trying to project an image of being someone who took good care of women?
She also thought that not giving him work points would make him appear generous, and he and the team would be happier.
How could she know... he would be so angry?
All of Xiao Mengfei's grievances at that moment were like a balloon being popped and spewed out.
But then they quickly disappeared.
Xiao Mengfei nodded, tears falling heavily.
"Yes, I'll be more careful next time!"
"Thank you, Bao Bao."
She suddenly grabbed Bao Ruanruan's hand tightly.
Bao Ruanruan: "?"
Bao... Bao?
She looked down at the hand Xiao Mengfei was holding.
Wait a minute, why did it seem like something else had happened that she didn't know about?
[55, The scene of the two sisters together is so harmonious~ Love it, love it.]
[Ah, I suddenly understand, Bao Ruanruan just came explicitly to find Xiao Mengfei! The village is so big, with five guests all together, only she came looking for her.]
[Xiao Xiao was so sad just now, and now she's finally smiling; Mom is relieved. Xiao Xiao's mom fans thank Ruanruan.]
Standing under the eaves, Bao Ruanruan gave Xiao Mengfei a bit of ideological education. She also didn't forget to warn the grandmother next to her: "Old things should be thrown away in time."
Having said that, she strolled away, preparing to leave.
However, after taking two steps, Bao Ruanruan's left and right eyelids twitched simultaneously.
It seemed like there was still something important that hadn't been resolved.
Looking around, she spotted the army boots on the roof.
Oh dear.
If a strong wind blew, it might fall down.
What if someone happened to be walking underneath...
Ah, it's dangerous for objects to fall from that height!
Bao Ruanruan immediately stopped and picked up the longest wooden pole from the ladder debris on the ground.
After observing the boots for a couple of seconds, she hooked the shoelace with the pole.
Then she pulled the boots down.
Alright, now both eyes stopped twitching.
Perfect.
Afterward, she threw the boots into Xiao Mengfei's hands.
Xiao Mengfei: "!"
Tears welled up uncontrollably in her eyes.
[Wow, 100 points, amazing.]
[Haha, little girl, you should learn more from Bao Bao~]
[Thanks again to Bao Bao for helping our Xiao Xiao.]
"Bao Bao, these 100 points are supposed to be yours."
Xiao Mengfei realised after being stunned for a second.
Bao Ruanruan shivered at the sound of this nickname.
A person of virtue would not deprive others of what they value.
This was to avoid attracting hatred from others.
She waved her hand, "This is what you need. I already have enough points."
Xiao Mengfei sniffed and immediately hugged the boots.
As she watched Bao Ruanruan walk away in the sunlight with her slender hands clasped behind her back, she couldn't help but feel remorse.
She had once disliked Bao Ruanruan, looked down on her, and even wanted to compete with her.
Why was she so mean!
*
As evening approached, Bao Ruanruan guessed that Lu Wenhao had calmed down, so she leisurely strolled back to their small house.
She had been wandering around the village all day.
The cameraman following her had captured many unseen views of the village.
During the live broadcast, while the other guests were shown sweating and working hard, occasional shots of Bao Ruanruan strolling past serene landscapes were inserted.
The path down the hill was lined with neatly planted rice fields.
Occasionally, tractors could be seen passing between various colourful fruit trees.
The dusk fell like a blaze on the mountain tops, reflecting the lush greenery.
Several quaint red-roofed cottages were scattered about.
[So beautiful.]
[I want to stand on a mountain like this and take a deep breath; it must be so relaxing.]
[That's right! When I saw the other guests sunburned like dogs, I thought this place was boring, but looking at Bao Ruanruan's side, I kinda want to take my son to Hengshan for a trip, and it's actually pretty close by.]
[I also want to go on vacation; I have been working overtime.]
[I've heard that Hengshan Village will be developed for tourism, and they're preparing for it. I feel a mixture of excitement and worry, and I hope they don't ruin the original beauty of the scenery.]
The barrage of comments increased in frequency and tempo every time the camera cut to Bao Ruanruan.
Unlike the typical 'He's so handsome' or 'She's beautiful' comments that appeared when other guests were on screen, the comments during Bao Ruanruan's segments discussed the scenery.
...
In the director's workspace, Director Zheng Mingchang had just poured himself a cup of strong tea, ready to take a sip and enjoy a five-minute break.
Then, the phone rang.
"Ah, Secretary Liu."
Zheng Mingchang immediately sat up straight.
Under the Hengshan Tourism Bureau, there was an association in charge of developing the resort's culture.
Liu Cheng was the secretary of their investment promotion office.
This time, thanks to negotiations with Liu Cheng, their production team could film in Hengshan and work with them.
"What instructions do you have for me?"
"Director Zheng, haha, there's some good news." Liu Cheng's tone was very cheerful. "It's like this, our leaders happened to review our collaboration today."
"As a result, many people have left messages on our official Weibo account expressing their desire to visit Hengshan. Some even offered suggestions for its development."
Zheng Mingchang's eyebrows shot up in surprise and delight. "Is it because of our show?"
"Exactly. The related keywords on the Internet all point to your show's guest, an actress named Bao Ruanruan."
Zheng Mingchang: "!"
"Our leaders are very pleased. You see, we're preparing to attract investment, and a lot of big companies have been hesitant, not very willing to invest in the Hengshan development plan."
Liu Cheng explained the situation and finally came to the main point.
"As for this Bao Ruanruan, we'd like to work with her more closely. Would she be interested in becoming the first tourism ambassador of our Hengshan Village?"
Zheng Mingchang was stunned.
Has she caught someone's eye again?
He suppressed his shock and quickly replied, "I will contact her agent."
"Great. I'll have to trouble Director Zheng to help us contact her. It would be great if she could make a promotional video, and we hope it could be included in your variety show."
Zheng Mingchang swallowed hard.
After hanging up, he was still a bit dazed.
When he first saw Bao Ruanruan in the 'Saturday' prop room, he was a little worried that the controversies surrounding her would affect the show. However, she shone brightly in the island kitchen segment.
The network, recognising her talent for variety and potential drama with the Lu family, invited her to join this new variety show.
Now, even before they had filmed many episodes, she had been approached by a legitimate official channel to become a tourism experience ambassador!
Zheng Mingchang unconsciously took a sip of tea and immediately snapped back to reality. "Quick, contact Bao Ruanruan's agent."
*
Meanwhile, Bao Ruanruan, who had returned to their small house, was completely unaware of any of this.
Before entering, she slowed her pace and listened intently at the door for any sounds of argument.
Hearing nothing, she finally entered.
[Psst, she must be really scared of whoever is in that house, huh?]
[Lu Wenhao, right? That's for sure; her Weibo post has embarrassed the Lu family.]
[Sigh. When you think about it, she's kind of pitiful. She's powerless against the Lu family and must have been so scared. Was posting that Weibo really her last resort?]
[It's not my Brother Lu's fault, anyway. He's always admired his elder brother, Lu Wenyao. What she did... was like stepping on his brother's toes.]
[How should I put this? I'm a fan of Brother Lu. Ever since Bao Ruanruan saved Xiao Mengfei last time, I've been really grateful. I think everyone should handle their own problems. Brother Lu shouldn't get involved in his elder brother's business. If there's any conflict, can't President Lu handle it himself?]
[That's right. Everyone has their own problems. You can't be too mean to someone who saved you twice, Brother Lu.]
Gradually, the comments began to lean towards Bao Ruanruan.
Even Lu Wenhao's fans, who mostly disliked Xiao Mengfei, couldn't help but develop a soft spot for Bao Ruanruan after seeing her save Xiao Mengfei.
Women were always the weaker group when they were out and about.
Everyone naturally would be happy to see a girl help another girl.
Besides, if something had really happened to Xiao Mengfei, Xiao Mengfei's fans might have blamed Lu Wenhao.
So, by extension, Bao Ruanruan had saved their brother again!
How could they continue to bash her in the comments?
Lu Wenhao's fans were now quietly speaking up for Bao Ruanruan.
And spoke of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrived, right there on the live stream———————
Bao Ruanruan had just tiptoed in when she saw Lu Wenhao leaning against the door with his arms crossed!
Bao Ruanruan: "!"
"Huh, barely famous for two days, and you're already doing other variety shows? Really dedicated, aren't you?"
Lu Wenhao's eyes lit up when he saw her.
But soon, his phoenix eyes flashed, and he turned his head away.
He hadn't expected her to come back at all!
He certainly didn't want to rely on her for the WiFi!
"So you finally decided to show up, huh?"
[!]
[My kid is being really sarcastic again!]
[Wait, is it just me, or is he being a bit tsundere?]
[???]
The comments just jumped a few lines.
Then they saw Bao Ruanruan on the screen, looking startled.
She seemed a little dazed by his words and did not know how to react.
Her watery eyes flickered with uncertainty as her pink lips parted slightly.
"You probably don't know this, so let me tell you now."
"Anger increases the toxins in your blood and liver cells. Blood will rush to your head, reducing blood flow to your stomach and intestines, causing myocardial ischemia and endocrine disorders…
To sum up, it can cause facial spots, liver damage, possible stomach ulcers, and hyperthyroidism."
Lu Wenhao: "!??"
"Hey, don't let today's stubbornness make you regret it tomorrow."
Bao Ruoruan took a deep breath.
"This is all from my years of experience. I won't charge you any work points for this advice. So, there is no need to thank me."
And with that, she slipped away.
Lu Wenhao only felt a rush of blood to his head.
"Bao… Ruan… Ruan!"
[Pfft!]
[D*mn! That's hilarious!]
[Hahahaha, Bro, you should listen to her! She's doing it all for your sake; don't be angry!]
[This is so funny, d*mn it! I knew something was missing today, turns out it was the health class!]
[I'll remember that, too; I'll keep myself in a good mood, hahaha.]
[Her scenes always make me laugh.]
The more hyped the comments were, the more devastated Lu Wenhao felt.
The more he saw Bao Ruanruan's carefree attitude, the angrier he became.
MD!
So, it was really her who sent him that message: 'Don't get angry, it will only please the person you are angry at'!
The point was… he had been sending her private messages insulting her three or four times a day for over a month!
And she only replied that one time?
Was she pretending not to have seen the other messages?
"D*mn it, Bao Ruanruan. You clearly saw my private messages. Why didn't you reply?"
"I was afraid that you'd get even angrier if I replied."
"!"
[hhhh!]
[Wait, why did you send her a private message? This is hilarious, but I'm also curious.]
[Don't ask; just know your bro has been sending toxic messages, lol.]
Lu Wenhao was truly furious.
The worst part was that as he glared at Bao Ruanruan angrily, he saw her delicate, fair face with curling eyelashes and clear, watery eyes, looking innocently vulnerable.
He felt his punch had landed on cotton, and he had nowhere to vent his anger.
His anger seemed utterly inexplicable.
And yet, with every breath he took, he could clearly feel his heart beating faster, accompanied by a slight discomfort in his stomach, a dull ache, and even a slight pressure in his temples.
He had experienced this kind of discomfort before.
Over the past few years, he had constantly argued with his old-fashioned father, who looked down on the entertainment industry and thought joining a boy band was a waste of life...
Every time they fought, he would experience these symptoms, which would last for at least an hour or two.
"Right, you're not feeling well, are you?"
"Be careful; your blood pressure is rising, and you're at risk of having your blood vessel rupture and an immediate stroke."
Bao Ruanruan opened her red lips.
She quickly dragged a chair over from the side.
"Sit down quickly and take a deep breath with me."
I see.
Lu Wenhao took a few deep breaths.
After he sat down, he felt much better, refreshed.
Then...!
D*mn!
D*mn, d*mn, d*mn!
Why did he listen to her?
He had truly fallen under her spell!
"Bao Ruanruan!"
"Shh! Protect your vocal cords, even though you're just the dance lead."
"!"
D*mn it!
He was so pissed off that he could die!
[hhhhh]
[Oh my God, I'm sorry, kiddo, but I could watch you get roasted like this for a hundred hours! Why is this so funny?]
[I'm laughing so hard until my stomach hurts. But kid, Ruanruan has a point; I wrote my college graduation thesis on a similar topic.]
People in the comments found the scene to be hilarious.
But Lu Wenhao was furious. Then he noticed the water cup that Bao Ruanruan handed him.
Her white, slender fingers held an ordinary red enamel cup.
The crimson colour of the cup made her milk-white fingertips show a hint of pale pink.
He was instantly reminded of their time in the restaurant kitchen. Her movements were as fresh and clean as a spring breeze as her delicate hands washed the blue and white porcelain dishes.
Lu Wenhao's anger subsided considerably.
She was doing the dishes for him that day.
She had spent those days helping him.
He lowered his head.
The last bit of his anger was entirely extinguished by the tea in his hand.
"Ahem."
"Anyway, I won't forgive you."
Lu Wenhao turned his head away.
"Even if you let me use your wifi for the next few days, share your points with me, and make me breakfast and dinner, I still won't forgive you."
Bao Ruanruan blinked.
A huge question mark appeared over her head.
Why would she do those things?
What was he thinking?
According to what she had read online, chrysanthemums could help reduce heat in the body, and roses could help relieve stress and anxiety.
She had added five chrysanthemum flowers and ten rosebuds to his tea.
After drinking it, he should feel refreshed.
In the short term, he shouldn't bother her again.
Bao Ruanruan looked at the tea in his hand, lost in thought.
It didn't work?
Lu Wenhao saw her innocent gaze fall on his teacup.
"It tastes terrible. Hmph."
Bao Ruanruan sighed lightly.
It really failed.
*
Xiao Mengfei, who had just finished cleaning the pigsty and shovelling manure, returned to the small house exhausted but in high spirits.
She was about to find Bao Ruanruan to tell her she had earned 250 points today!
She could even cover today's utilities, rent, and Wi-Fi by herself!
But as soon as she walked in, she heard Lu Wenhao 'mistreating' Bao Ruanruan, verbally attacking her, criticising her, and putting pressure on her.
When she looked over, she saw Lu Wenhao sitting there arrogantly, like a lord, with a haughty expression.
Meanwhile, Bao Ruanruan stood with her head bowed, looking pitiful.
Suddenly, all of Xiao Mengfei's energy and anger erupted.
"Lu Wenhao... Senior!"
Lu Wenhao was in the middle of reprimanding Bao Ruanyuan: "You weren't here yesterday, so you're cooking dinner tonight. Or are you waiting for someone to—"
Before he could finish, a roar reached his ears.
He turned in shock to see Xiao Mengfei, who usually smiled sweetly at him, flirted with him, or, like this morning, ran away crying, now charging furiously at him.
She clenched her fists and stomped her little white shoes loudly as she approached.
Lu Wenhao: "?"
Although to be honest, he wouldn't buy any of her nonsense.
What was she thinking?
Did she think he would give in to her tough side since he didn't fall for her sweet side?
Haha.
Women.
Neither tears nor tantrums could move him. When would they ever realise that?
Lu Wenhao reached up and touched his cheek.
His charm was simply too overwhelming; it had given him a headache.
One after another, they all acted the same.
Too bad he wouldn't spare any of them a second— gla—
But before he could finish that thought, a gust of pigsty stench hit him!
"Senior Brother Lu, here are your 150 points back, including compensation! Now we’re even!"
"From today—no, from this moment on, if you ever bully me or Bao Bao again, I'll, I'll report you to the production team!"
Xiao Mengfei unleashed a torrent of words, her breath full of the strong smell of the pigsty, right into his face.
"!?"
Lu Wenhao was forced to lean back, his handsome face retreating from the stench.
He was still too stunned to react when Xiao Mengfei grabbed Bao Ruanruan's hand.
"Bao Bao, come with me."
In the blink of an eye, the two girls disappeared from his sight.
Bao Ruanruan's eyes held a mixture of confusion and surprise.
Before leaving, Xiao Mengfei shot Lu Wenhao a look of utter contempt.
Forget admiration or affection; even her former respect for her senior brother was gone.
She looked at him as if he were a scumbag.
Lu Wenhao: "??"
Wait a minute.
Who's going to make dinner?
[!]
[!!]
[OMG, my girl is really furious, she has risen up!]
[My girl finally has the aura of a team leader today! Mom is so touched! Sorry, Lu fans, but I won't apologise for my girl. Girls need to stand up for themselves.]
[She paid off her debt, they are equals, support!]
[Sigh, I'm a Lu fan, but watching this scene, I... actually emmm kind of want to laugh at my brother's defeated expression, hahahaha]
[I have mixed feelings, I'm still unhappy that my brother is being scolded. But from Xiao Mengfei's perspective, she doesn't seem to be wrong?]
[I'm neutral, but I'm not a fan of either. I want to say: So satisfying! No one knows how great I feel at this moment to see the girl finally stop being pretentious and fawning over Lu Wenhao!]
[Xiao Xiao is a bit cute, which turned me from a hater to a fan.]
[Welcome to the fandom.]
The audience's likes and dislikes in the live comments were reversed in less than a day.
Many people disliked her when Xiao Mengfei broke the spatula and ran away crying that morning.
By evening, after she paid off her debt and confronted Lu Wenhao, the audience's perception of her began to change.
When director Zheng Mingchang saw these comments, he was a little taken aback.
All of this, which seemed to be driven by Xiao Mengfei's growth, was actually facilitated by Bao Ruanruan.
Zheng Mingchang looked at Bao Ruanruan on the screen, lost in thought.
*
Meanwhile, a confused Bao Ruanruan was dragged into Xiao Mengfei's room for a forced heart-to-heart.
"Bao Bao, can you tell me what kind of grudge you have with President Lu of the Lu family? The internet is full of people criticising you, and I... I used to believe them, but now I think you're a good person!"
Xiao Mengfei clutched her hand tightly.
"Tell me, and I can find a way to help you."
But I don't really want to tell you.
Bao Ruanruan pursed her lips.
As for the Lu family affair, firstly, she had no proof, and secondly, she currently lacked the power to confront them.
Speaking out would be pointless.
She lowered her gaze.
A lock of dark hair fell against her rosy cheek.
Her lashes trembled, her eyes clear yet helpless.
Xiao Mengfei was on the verge of tears.
She understood!
Even her own uncle, a shareholder and executive of Huangtai, had warned her not to offend Lu Wenhao and even hoped that she could befriend him.
How much harder must it be for Bao Ruanruan, who had no background at all?
She simply couldn't fight the Lu family.
Sigh.
"...I'm sorry, Bao Bao. I shouldn't have asked and upset you again."
"Just don't say anything now. Wait until I become powerful!"
Bao Ruanruan: "?"
"Don't worry, Bao Bao, when I become powerful, I'll definitely help you get justice!"
Bao Ruanruan let out a small gasp.
Hearing her exclamation, Xiao Mengfei suddenly jumped up.
She sniffed at herself and blushed.
"Sorry, do I smell that bad?"
"It's alright. I used to have no place to bathe, and I smelled much worse than you."
Xiao Mengfei was taken aback.
[Touching. She's trying to comfort our girl, right?]
[Yeah, no matter how dirty a person is, how can they smell even worse than a pig?]
[My girl fell into the pigsty again today and stepped in, well, you know... plus she's been sweating all day in the summer heat... hahahaha]
[Oh my God, I can even smell it through the screen!]
[Please stop, I'm begging you. My child is about to eat dinner.]
But Bao Ruanruan, who had experienced far worse conditions countless times in the game, didn't mind the pigsty smell at all.
She even gave Xiao Mengfei a little science lesson.
"Labour is the most glorious thing, and besides, pig manure is actually a good thing."
"?"
The originally restless and embarrassed Xiao Mengfei, who was about to take a bath, was stunned.
Bao Ruanruan was clearly excited by this topic.
In the game, you couldn't be fussy about this or that.
Every item could be crucial to clearing a level or surviving.
The Compendium of Materia Medica said that pig manure could clear heat, detoxify, and treat smallpox.
She had collected it several times while she was in the game!
"Come on," Bao Ruanruan patted Xiao Mengfei's shoulder encouragingly.
Her soft, delicate voice was unusually firm, but it carried a warmth that dispelled the chill of the air-conditioned room.
Xiao Mengfei felt her heart warm up.
How could she ever think that Bao Ruanruan was a bad person?
She had actually believed the online rumours.
She felt guilty.
...
6 pm, later that evening, at Huangtai Entertainment.
Ji Fei, who had just finished a meeting about the new direction of the company's girl group, hurried into the underground car park.
As he sat in the driver's seat, he finally had time to check his phone and watch Xiao Mengfei's variety show.
The screen popped up just as he stepped on the accelerator.
As a result—
"Bao Bao, do you like shrimp?"
Ji Fei: "?"
He instantly slammed on the brakes!
What Bao?
Bao Bao?
He looked at the phone screen.
He saw Xiao Mengfei, the spoiled young lady who was usually quite temperamental, being gentle, warm—even a little submissive—as she placed a whole steamed shrimp in Bao Ruanruan's bowl.
"Bao Bao, I've peeled it for you. I just tried one, and it's very elastic, and the saltiness is just right~"
Ji Fei: "!!!"
What was going on?
He had only been in a meeting all day!
How did Miss Xiao get kidnapped?
He quickly grabbed his phone from its holder and made a call.
"Xiao He, let Xiao Xiao answer the phone."
A few minutes later, he watched as Xiao Mengfei peeled another five or six shrimps on camera before being called away by her assistant, looking a little reluctant.
She even said softly to Bao Ruanruan, "Bao Bao, you eat first; I'll be right back; I'll continue peeling shrimp for you later."
Ji Fei was about to have a stroke.
As soon as Xiao Mengfei answered the phone, he started firing questions.
"Xiao Xiao, what's going on?"
"Why are you doing things for Bao Ruanruan? Did the production team arrange it?"
"She has offended the Lu family. I told you to keep your distance from her."
Last time, he didn't know Bao Ruanruan was the mascot and told Xiao Mengfei to get close to the mascot.
But Xiao Mengfei didn't listen.
This time, he told her to stay away from Bao Ruanruan, and Xiao Mengfei actually got closer!
What was going on?
But his words were immediately cut short by Xiao Mengfei.
"Stop."
"Brother Fei, how can you say that about Bao Bao? You have such a prejudice against her!"
Ji Fei: "?!"
Did he hear wrong?
"Xiao Xiao, didn't you say earlier that you wanted to join this show and outshine Bao Ruanruan? Didn't you want the audience to like you more than her?"
"Ah," Xiao Mengfei exclaimed in surprise, muttering embarrassedly, "Brother Fei, you can say that in front of me, but please don't tell anyone else, especially Bao Bao."
"If she finds out that I was so bad, so scheming, and that I tried to bully her once, I'm sure she won't treat me well anymore. What if she doesn't want to be friends with me in the future?"
Ji Fei: "????"
...
At the same time.
The chat in Tang Yuxin's fan group was also very lively.
[HongTang1 Administrator No. 39: This is the summary of today's discovery, @all, come and see.]
Author's note:
Ruanruan: Teammates +1.
Footnotes Full List
- hong=red, tang=sugar
- bai=white, tang=sugar
きつね's Musing
Bao Bao just got another nickname and another best girlfriend. 😏
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| 26.10.24: I forgot to mention that if you see these numbers at the end of the chapter (especially for DBAFSC), the original long chapter has been split into pages. |
Tags:
DBAFSC