Bao Ruanruan adjusted her aim with each shot.
From being unfamiliar with the paintball gun to mastering it.
It was like a game in which she gradually improved her skills through repeated practice.
She kept correcting herself.
When her accuracy reached 90%, she could easily defeat the boss and clear the level, no matter what weapon the players gave her.
"Phew."
Bao Ruanruan exhaled after finishing the 30 shots she was given.
She then pressed her hand to her pounding chest.
Her small face instantly changed from resolute... to timidity.
In the blink of an eye, she tossed the paintball gun aside, her watery eyes now resembling those of an innocent, delicate deer. Her frailty and vulnerability returned in full force.
"That scared the hell out of me."
The resolute killing intent she had exuded moments ago vanished instantly as if it had never existed.
She was once again the seemingly ordinary, fragile little white flower.
[??]
[Can someone explain this to me? Do I need to have my eyes checked?]
[Did the uncle next door accidentally shoot a paintball at Bao Ruanruan's balloon?]
[Wow, that uncle is an expert marksman!]
[......Wake up. The referee just said it—Hengshan Village won.]
[? So, in just 10 seconds, Bao Ruanruan gained two new 'moms', and our Hengshan Village earned 50 points?]
[Uh, have I become the mom of a reserve athlete for the next Olympics?]
[???? What are you even dreaming about? Ahem, is there a group for mom fans? Add me.]
[I originally came for Xiao Xiao and was half a casual viewer, but now I'm completely charmed by Bao Ruanruan. Help, how does she do it? That killing stare earlier was so cool! But now, look at her—just look! What's with this pitiful expression? She absolutely deserves an Oscar for Best Actress!]
[Bao Ruanruan: I was scared; I was just acting.]
[Bao Ruanruan: I'm not good at shooting; I was just faking it.]
[Hahahaha, I'm dying of laughter from reading the comments. Someone should interview Bao Ruanruan—Why does she have to pretend? Is this how she practices her craft every day? Can I join her career fan group?]
No one understood this situation.
Even those on the scene did not understand.
But the elderly spectators from Hengshan Village were still clapping and cheering joyfully.
In the guest lounge, Xiao Mengfei was also feeling incredibly excited.
Originally, she just wanted to be good friends with Bao Ruanruan. Now, she wanted to be… her fan!
"Bao Bao, how did you do it? You were amazing! Have you been training for this?"
[Thanks, Xiao Xiao, I want to know too.]
In the athletes' rest area, several figures quietly pricked up their ears.
In Pengmai's work area, a man wearing a mask and holding a pair of black-framed glasses in his hand couldn't help but step closer to listen to their conversation.
Everyone wanted to know!
"Uh…"
Bao Ruanruan was taken aback by the question.
If I told you, you'd be terrified.
The internal struggle of not knowing how to explain was written all over her delicate, fair, oval face. Strangely, it gave her an air of obedient sweetness, like a child quietly carrying her burdens alone.
"Have you been practising for a particular drama?"
"Ah… sort of."
She had filmed some gunfight scenes in a game simulation.
[What kind of drama was it? I want to watch!]
[Quick, look up Bao Ruanruan's acting history!]
[??? I'm an old fan, and I didn't know she acted in gunfights!]
[Even the old fans don't know? You must be a fake fan!]
[What the heck? She really hasn't acted in this genre before! I couldn't find anything about it on Baidu!]
[???]
On-screen, Bao Ruanruan returned to the lounge and picked up her thermos for a drink.
Meanwhile, the livestream chat continued its frenzied discussion.
Then Lan Zhi, a seasoned actress who'd been in the TV industry for years and considered herself a mentor figure, chimed in to elaborate.
"It's okay. Opportunities always favour those who are prepared."
"Xiao Bao, one day you'll get your chance. And those who have rejected you in the past will regret it."
Her words immediately struck a chord.
Even those who were unfamiliar with the workings of the drama crews suddenly felt enlightened, as if a veil had been lifted.
[Does Sister Lan mean that Bao Ruanruan has been quietly preparing but hasn't had a chance to perform yet?]
[No way! Isn't her persona that of a delicate, health-conscious 'little white flower'? Is she actually this hardworking?]
[Why do I get the feeling that Sister Lan is hinting at something shady in the industry? I've heard that some productions swap out actors at the last minute to make way for people who have sponsors, leaving those without connections to be replaced.]
[Ah, so Xiao Bao…]
Lu Wenhao, who was confused at first, now seemed to understand a little.
He gave Bao Ruanruan a complicated look.
So, the reason she approached his older brother… was because of such a painful past?
Was she left with no other choice?
In the corner, Qian Hongyi, who had been eavesdropping, also looked thoughtful as he walked back to the Pengmai rest area.
His subordinate ran over enthusiastically. "Brother Yi, she got first place! Can we let her represent the brand now?"
Qian Hongyi frowned.
She also had the spirit of Pengmai once:
——I Can Do It, Without Limits
It was a spirit of going all out, giving it your all, no matter what the result.
Earlier, he had thought she was too delicate, not in line with the rugged image of Pengmai.
But now—
"...Why do you keep speaking up for her today? Is her good looks clouding your professional judgement?"
"Brother Yi, I'm innocent! The marketing department just reported that the headbands she wore during the match have sold out!"
"...?"
"If we don't act quickly, competing brands are going to snatch her up!"
"!"
Qian Hongyi finally realised the power of Bao Ruanruan's influence.
If he could attribute the previous sellouts to the involvement of Lan Zhi and Xiao Mengfei, this time, the headband's popularity was undoubtedly due to Bao Ruanruan's performance in the shooting competition.
He checked the reviews on their flagship store:
[This headband seems to be lucky.]
[That's right, I saw Bao Ruanruan touch it, and she went from missing every shot to hitting the bull's eye every time.]
[I have an exam next week—bless me!]
[I'm playing tennis next week. I decided to buy one. If Bao Ruanruan uses it, it must be good!]
[Absolutely. Seems harmless to the body.]
[Bought it, bought it.]
Qian Hongyi: "..."
Are these buyers even talking about the same product?
A headband… how could it possibly harm the body?
A sports headband… what effect could it possibly have on exams?
He couldn't understand.
This generation of buyers was too difficult to figure out.
But all the conclusions pointed to one thing.
Qian Hongyi rubbed his temples. "Draft a contract for the endorsement deal. Once I get back, I'll finalise the fee."
The real question was whether to set the fee at the rate of a rookie actor or a social media influencer.
As he thought it over, he frowned.
In the current entertainment industry, he couldn't think of anyone comparable to Bao Ruanruan.
He couldn't help but zone out.
She truly had this unique, irreplaceable quality?
Meanwhile, the individual matches between Hengshan Village and Yuquan Village had all concluded.
After Bao Ruanruan's victory in the shooting competition, Lu Wenhao narrowly won a match in jump rope.
Three losses and two wins.
"Yuquan Village is temporarily in the lead, 150 to 100."
"Next up are the three team events: tug-of-war, three-legged race, and relay race."
"Let's see both teams show their real skills!"
Each team event was worth 100 points.
As there were three events, a total of 300 points would be awarded.
Yuquan Village was confident.
Each side only had five players to compete with.
To keep things fair, both the celebrity team and the Yuquan Village team were made up of three women and two men.
However, the Yuquan Village team was made up of farmers who worked the fields every day. Their physical strength and endurance far exceeded that of the celebrity team.
For the first event, tug-of-war, they were almost guaranteed to win!
"Let's discuss—should we have all the men stand at the front? Since they're stronger, we can pull right at the start when the whistle blows,"
Lan Zhi strategised.
They had to, as their team had no inherent advantage.
They could only try to gain an edge through timing.
"Sounds good, Sister Lan."
"We will cooperate fully."
The two men had no objections.
At the far end of the group, Bao Ruanruan quietly sipped her warm water, taking small, measured sips.
Lan Zhi hesitated a little, her eyes scanning over her expectantly.
"Xiao Bao, what do you think?"
Over the past few episodes, Lan Zhi had always enjoyed hearing her suggestions.
"You always have such great ideas."
Unjust accusation!
Bao Ruanruan's face was filled with disbelief.
There was no way she could be this high-profile!
"I mean, your thoughts are always very comprehensive and steady."
That was true.
Bao Ruanruan breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then let me talk about what I think is a more stable way?"
Lan Zhi's eyes lit up, "Tell me."
She thought Xiao Bao was the most thoughtful person among them.
"The first person to stand at the front is the strongest boy, he's the first line of defence."
"The heaviest person stands at the back, acting as an anchor, the last line of defence."
As Bao Ruanruan spoke, her watery eyes looked at the two boys.
The strategy for the tower defence game was crystal clear.
Lu Wenhao raised an eyebrow, "The girls stand in the middle?"
Bao Ruanruan nodded.
Of course.
If a girl stood at the front and got dragged by a strong pull from the opponent, the entire formation would collapse instantly.
Moreover, girls were so weak, of course, they should be protected in the middle.
Bao Ruanruan averted her eyes with a guilty conscience, "All the girls stand in the middle. Since the three of us are similar in size, we should use the same T-step📹 (丁字步 - dīng zì bù), with the front foot 120-130 degrees, the back foot 90-110 degrees, and the distance between the two feet slightly wider than the shoulders. In this way, by standing close together, we form a second female defensive wall where 1+1+1 > 3."
Lan Zhi's eyes lit up.
Lu Wen Hao frowned.
Something felt off, but he couldn't refute it.
She spoke so confidently.
It was like she was a member of the sports committee organising a tug-of-war competition at school!
"Xiao Bao, you know so much."
Lan Zhi was pleasantly surprised.
"Can you demonstrate the T-Step for us?"
"Okay."
Bao Ruanruan nodded happily.
"But I still have two more defences to talk about."
Lu Wenhao: "!"
[Hahaha, Ruanruan, when it comes to sports, you really are a professional, aren't you?]
[I'm dying of laughter… No wonder her acting career hasn't made a splash all this time. Turns out she's from a sports school, not a musical theatre major! Hahaha!]
On camera, Lan Zhi hurriedly handed Bao Ruanruan a bottle of water with a bright smile.
"Come on, tell us more."
"First, we will switch to thick-soled patterned shoes to increase traction; second, wear a few extra jackets just in case we fall to the ground."
Lu Wenhao: "............"
"That actually makes sense, Xiao Bao. Let's go with that."
Lu Wenhao: "??"
[Hahaha, help, what kind of constitution does Bao Ruanruan have? Why does she know so many random things?]
[She probably did her homework as soon as she found out there was a tug-of-war competition on the way here, right?—You can always count on Bao Ruanruan to do her homework!]
[Truly a homework queen.]
[I'm dying of laughter. At this rate, Bao Ruanruan should just stay on variety shows permanently. Otherwise, what are you going to do with all these 'talents'? Quick, show us more!]
[Actually, I think what she said makes sense. My school has a sports day next week too, and I plan to use her tips for tug-of-war - except for the last one about wearing several jackets... hahaha, I can't bring myself to do that!]
[Ruanruan: That's right, I'm just afraid of getting hurt (bashful).]
[Pause to look at Brother Lu's expression! It's three parts helpless, three parts speechless, and four parts resigned!]
[Even in winter, Brother Lu wouldn't wear multiple jackets like that, LOL.]
Things took a strange turn.
Lu Wenhao genuinely got a headache.
He looked disdainfully at the oversized Pengmai sports jacket that Bao Ruanruan had dug up from somewhere.
Watching her pile the three jackets onto herself, he couldn't understand it. If there had been more jackets, she would probably keep piling them on.
"Here, three jackets for each of you."
When Bao Ruanruan handed the jackets to him, her watery eyes were filled with reluctance as if she were parting with some kind of life-saving treasure.
It was completely unnecessary.
Lu Wenhao's eye twitched.
Layering three jackets on top of the thin spring/autumn sports jacket she was already wearing was utterly bizarre.
Not only was it unflattering, but it was far from elegant or cool.
Even the designers at Pengmai would want to hold her accountable after seeing this.
"You can keep it yourself,"
Lu Wenhao bluntly refused.
Hearing this, Bao Ruanruan's eyes lit up brightly. "Then I won't be polite. Thank you!"
Lu Wenhao: "?"
She actually put on the XXL men's light blue sports jacket over everything else.
Unbelievable.
Two pink jackets, two blue jackets—four in total.
The hoods of all four jackets were piled on top of each other in a chaotic mess.
It was simply unbearable to look at.
Lu Wenhao struggled to comprehend it, but Bao Ruanruan even tried to pull all four hoods over her small head!
As she worked hard at it, she also instructed Lan Zhi and Xiao Mengfei beside her.
"The head needs extra protection," Bao Ruanruan explained earnestly.
Lu Wenhao: "???"
Bao Ruanruan then took the two jackets that Lu Wenhao had rejected and handed one to Lan Zhi and one to Xiao Mengfei.
Lan Zhi, being a unique and seasoned senior in the industry, had reached an age where even doing nothing wouldn't invite criticism.
For the past few years, she had lived as she pleased, doing her own thing.
Without hesitation, she copied Bao Ruanruan's layering method, showing no fear of looking ridiculous.
She even agreed with the approach.
"You're right, Xiao Bao. Adding more layers can also increase the weight."
Bao Ruanruan nodded, her face full of regret. "Too bad Pengmai didn't bring any down jackets or padded coats."
Down jackets were filled with over 70% duck feathers.
The filling provided shock resistance and would cushion the wearer in the event of a fall.
It could reduce the likelihood of fractures by 1–3%.
Adding more layers would provide even better protection.
Such a shame.
"Exactly, padded coats would've been heavier too," Lan Zhi chimed in, fully following Bao Ruanruan's logic and sighing regretfully. "Why did Pengmai only bring such light clothes?"
Lu Wenhao: "......"
Ladies, please look up at the sky.
Stretch out your hand and feel the scorching heat in the air.
It's summer right now!
Speechless, he turned his head, out of sight, out of mind.
But then he saw Cheng Yao, the usually quiet and well-behaved guy on his left, layering two sports jackets over himself as well. Even more exaggerated, he was wearing multiple T-shirts underneath!
"I'm standing at the back. I need to wear more!"
"The guy across from me looks like he's twice my weight!"
The recording-obsessed introvert was clearly nervous.
Xiao Mengfei, on the other hand, was unhappy. "Hey! I can't believe you're wearing all the T-shirts I asked the staff for!"
These days, she followed Bao Ruanruan in everything.
Whatever Bao Ruanruan said, she believed that it made sense and was absolutely right.
"........."
Lu Wenhao was at a loss for words.
Everyone else is drunk while I remain sober.
So this is what it felt like.
For the first time, he understood why his dad, Old Lu, always got so frustrated when talking to him.
It wasn't because Old Lu had a bad temper or was prejudiced against him.
It was because talking to people with bizarre thought processes was enough to make you want to break down on the spot!
Old Lu was incredibly patient.
He kept trying to reason with him, even when it seemed hopeless.
Unlike him, who was now thinking of just joining the Yuquan Village team instead.
[Hahahaha wheeze]
[Son, could your look of disdain be any more obvious?]
[Brother Lu: Someone please slap me awake—no, slap them awake!]
[Hahaha, but seriously, it's impressive that Bao Ruanruan managed to get Lan Zhi, such a tough and independent senior, to follow her advice. Wearing more clothes—no offence—has absolutely no effect, haha. What difference will it make anyway?]
[Not just Teacher Lan! Even my dear Xiao Xiao, who usually likes to look pretty, went along with it!]
[Exactly. Look at her—she was such a cute girl just a few moments ago. Now she looks like a member of the Beggar Sect. Oh wait, correction: an Elder, a Nine-Bag Elder1!]
Xiao Mengfei had indeed become a 'Nine-Bag' person.
Four mismatched sports jackets piled on top of each other, with a small bag hanging on her skirt.ℹ️
Her beauty was usually her most powerful weapon.
Every time she appeared at an event, her male fans would go berserk, screaming about wanting to 'bring the sweet girl home'.
But this time, those voices were gone—completely replaced by laughter.
[Who would have thought my sweet girl would go down the comedy route?]
[Take this group outside, and they could immediately start begging for alms, hahaha!]
[Did my girl learn something? Yeah, she learned this!]
[At this moment, Pengmai is having its brightest spotlight.]
[Pengmai: ??? Brightest spotlight?? What kind of misunderstanding do you have about our clothes?]
[Pengmai is so pitiful, hahaha! Did they ever imagine this when they decided to sponsor them?]
Qian Hongyi, who had been watching the players closely, glanced towards the centre of the pitch.
It was the perfect moment to 'drop dead on the spot'.
Their future brand ambassador, Bao Ruanruan, was at the forefront of the chaos.
Instead of wearing the Pengmai hoodies properly, she used them as weights to bulk up...
Did she even realise that Pengmai's fabric was specifically designed to be lightweight?
Qian Hongyi's head felt like it had tripled in size3.
He even considered asking someone to find the director and put an immediate stop to this joke of an incident!
But he was one step too late.
Just as he was about to make a move, the assistant director blew the whistle.
"Everyone, please come to the centre of the field."
"Pick up the rope and follow my orders!"
Qian Hongyi could only stop in his tracks and watch helplessly.
——If this was broadcast live, what would happen to the brand's image?4
——If this was broadcast live and his betrayal was discovered, what would happen to him?5
Meanwhile, another person on the field, Lu Wenhao, was also deeply worried.
"All right, let's do our best! You must do your best!"
When Lan Zhi, the team commander, instructed him to take the leading position in the tug-of-war and face the five players from Yiquan Village, Lu Wenhao was filled with inner turmoil.
Faced with the task Lan Zhi had given him, he didn't know how to react.
The reason he came to this show in the first place was to help his older brother evaluate Hengshan Village.
But to his surprise, his brother turned around and invested in Yiquan Village instead, even setting aside 5 million yuan as a prize for the village that won the sports competition.
Logically, his brother was undoubtedly hoping that 5 million would go to Yiquan Village.
But—should he hold back during the competition?
In the individual jump rope competition, he had gritted his teeth and given it his all, showing his true ability.
The current score was 150:100.
The difference was only 50 points.
The team event was worth 100 points per round.
In other words, the team that won two out of three rounds and scored 200 points would be the ultimate champion!
Tug of War, Three-legged Race, Relay Race—
Among these, the easiest event to throw without being noticed was the tug-of-war.
Lu Wenhao was torn between helping his elder brother and hesitating whether it was too despicable to do so.
But—
"Yuquan! Yuquan! Number one! Number one!"
The five-member team opposite them erupted with an extraordinary aura of confidence.
Startled, Lu Wenhao looked up and saw the young man at the front of the opposing team. Shirtless, his body was packed with solid, dark muscles.
The last member, an older man who had been manning the balloon-popping stall earlier, gave his sturdy abs a hearty slap.
It seemed... there was no need to think about it.
Even if their celebrity team gave it their all, defeat seemed inevitable.
At that moment, Lu Wenhao felt a wave of relief. He was completely at ease now.
"1, 2, 3, pick up the rope. Xiao Lu, lower your centre of gravity and lean back more," Lan Zhi, standing in the third position, reminded him of the key techniques for tug-of-war.
Lu Wenhao grinned, feeling entirely unburdened.
He could now enjoy this 'guaranteed loss' of a match.
"Got it!"
He picked up the rope and positioned himself in front of Bao Ruanruan.
Bending his knees, he leaned back to lower his centre of gravity, ready for the match to begin.
"Beep—!"
The assistant director, acting as referee, blew the whistle.
The match began in an instant.
Within one second, Lu Wenhao felt an overwhelming force pulling from the opposite side!
D*mn!
His hands, gripping the rope tightly, immediately felt the sting of pain!
The feet he had planted firmly on the ground were yanked forward in an instant!
"Hold your ground!"
The entire celebrity team was caught off guard.
The disparity in strength was staggering.
The opposing team was like five strong men, while they felt like helpless babies.
They couldn't even begin to resist—before they had a chance to shout their battle cry or coordinate their strength, the opposing team surged forward in one swift motion, dragging them across the line!
The red tassel in the middle of the tug-of-war rope had already been pulled a considerable distance towards Yuquan Village!
Lu Wenhao used every ounce of strength he had.
He pulled until his face turned red.
[Help!]
[!!]
[It's over!]
The comment section of the livestream didn't even have time for lengthy reactions.
Instead, a stream of frantic exclamation marks flew by.
At the scene, the spectators from Hengshan Village sitting in the stands could also see that things were not looking good.
It was obvious.
They were losing!
The two boys were struggling and the three girls were clearly out of their depth!
"That third girl is about to fall over!"
"Oh no, Lan Zhi is going to trip!"
Lan Zhi, standing in the middle in the third position, and Xiao Mengfei, in the fourth, were having a hard time.
The first in line, Lu Wenhao, couldn't hold his ground and was dragged dangerously close to the critical zone.
Bao Ruanruan, who was light and right behind him, was also pulled forward.
Lan Zhi, in third position, was older and had assumed this was just a relaxed variety show.
Who would have thought that the villagers on the other side would take the tug-of-war so seriously?
Caught off guard, she stumbled forward.
Her lowered centre of gravity shifted, causing her to lose her balance and almost fall to the ground.
Originally, the three girls had been standing in the T-step suggested by Bao Ruanruan, with their feet shoulder-width apart.
When they worked together in a coordinated manner, their collective power exceeded that of three people.
Their movements were synchronised and they were glued to each other.
But now, Lan Zhi's loss of balance disrupted the golden formation of the three.
Lan Zhi's sudden movement as she sat down knocked Xiao Mengfei off balance, causing her to exclaim, 'Aiya!'
Yuquan Village seized the opportunity to pull, and Xiao Mengfei was dragged down as well!
“Ahhh!” Xiao Mengfei yelped.
Bao Ruanruan’s eyelid twitched.
She was being dragged by the Yuquan Village team, but her feet still slid steadily along the ground.
Her centre of gravity remained neutral.
Her sliding motion was... incredibly stable.
Fast, yet safe.
Perfect.
Bao Ruanruan was quite satisfied.
But suddenly, a startled cry echoed in her ears, and pain shot through her hands gripping the rope!
Lan Zhi and Xiao Mengfei had fallen to the ground, and the force they were exerting on the rope suddenly vanished.
"!"
This caused her once steady glide to become unstable in an instant!
As her teammates behind her suddenly lost 50% of their strength, she felt the pull of the Yuquan Village team intensify!
Her hands gripping the rope were now overwhelmed, crushed by the feeling of a three-to-one imbalance.
She felt as if her whole body was about to be dragged into the opposing team's zone!
No, she was going to fall too!
Bao Ruanruan: "!!!"
Help!
What is the risk of fatal injury from falling flat on the ground?
This was beyond her abilities!
Lu Wenhao gritted his teeth as he heard the panicked cries of Lan Zhi and Xiao Mengfei as they fell behind him.
He knew that no matter how much he wanted to maintain some dignity and last three seconds before losing, it was impossible now.
He might as well give up.
Better to just go home and play Honour of Kings🔗.
But just as this thought crossed his mind, he heard Bao Ruanruan's low, urgent shout.
"Sis Lan, Feifei, danger! Get up!"
Before Lu Wenhao could even react, he felt the rope he had been pulling so hard against Yiquan Village suddenly stop moving!
It was as if someone had pressed a pause button.
The burning pain from the friction in his palms suddenly disappeared.
In his ears, he could still hear the grunts and roars of effort from Yuquan Village.
In front of him, the bulging veins on the muscular arm of the first young man from Yuquan Village were still clearly visible.
But the rope in his hands? He couldn't feel even the slightest pull.
Lu Wenhao: "?"
"Sis Lan, Feifei, are you up yet?"
Lu Wenhao: "??"
"Let's go!"
Go where?
Lu Wenhao was utterly confused.
And then, he felt the rope in his hands suddenly jerk!
It was as if a beast had latched onto it, pulling him backwards with an incredible force!
A surge of overwhelming power dragged the stunned Lu Wenhao all the way back to Hengshan Village’s starting line!
The movement was so quick, the force so intense, that Lu Wenhao—who was ready to go home and play *Honour of Kings just moments before—was completely taken by surprise.
"??!"
The force surged like waves, each one stronger than the last.
A sudden, powerful tug sent him reeling backwards.
Then he landed on his backside with a thud!
Lu Wenhao: "!"
This could not be real.
But then he heard the referee's whistle blow—
"Hengshan Village Celebrity Team wins the tug-of-war!"
Lu Wenhao: "???"
He turned around, dazed.
His gaze drifted blankly to the four people standing behind him.
Three girls were slumped over, out of breath.
Xiao Mengfei inspected her palms, which appeared to have been scratched.
Lan Zhi, hands on her hips, muttered, "My gosh, I'm drenched in sweat. I thought we were going to lose."
It wasn't them.
Lu Wenhao's gaze shifted to Bao Ruanruan, who was now calmly removing the three extra jackets she had put on earlier.
Her face was as snow-white as ever.
There was no hint of blush, not at all like someone who'd just been exercising.
"That was scary, let's not do tug-of-war next time. It seems dangerous."
Her soft voice was tinged with weakness.
Lu Wenhao's eyebrows twitched.
He shook the image of a cat with incredible jumping ability catching a tennis ball out of his head.
It couldn't be her again this time, could it?
He breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Cheng Yao, the recording-obsessed introvert who was standing in the last position.
"Brother Cheng, I didn't know you were so strong."
But as soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Yao ran over excitedly and punched him on the shoulder!
"Brother, what are you saying! Are you making fun of me because I just put on weight?"
"?? "
"Don't be modest, brother! We won because you led us from the front! How did you build up your muscles?"
Lu Wenhao: "......?"
What?
Who... led the team?
Him?
Lu Wenhao was stunned.
He looked at his body, still sitting on the ground, not even bothering to get up...
How could anyone think he was the one leading the team?
Was it because he was sitting on his bum?
"That young man is amazing, to actually win!"
"Yeah, when those two girls fell, I thought we were going to lose, but suddenly he stabilised! And then he used so much power!"
"Youth is amazing."
"What's that boy's name? Is he an athlete turned actor? He took on five people!"
They were close to the stands.
The discussions from the first and second rows could be heard clearly.
The assistant director, who was also the referee, responded with a smile, "Our Xiao Lu used to play tennis for the school team in middle school. He even participated in junior tennis competitions."
"Oh, no wonder."
"An athlete, no wonder!"
"Amazing, this kid, he pretended he couldn't do it at first, and he acted pretty well, but it turned out to be a tactic!"
Lu Wenhao, sitting on the ground: "?"
Do you guys have any misconceptions about tennis?
He was stunned.
Just as Hengshan Village was turning the tide, he was thinking about playing games.
His mind wasn't on the tug-of-war.
Did he really exert that much force?
D*mn, he almost believed what they said!
"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Lan Zhi laughed. "Was it me or Ruanruan? Don't be so humble."
"It's annoying when you're too humble."
Lu Wenhao was dumbfounded.
He turned to look up at Bao Ruanruan, who was standing behind Lan Zhi, looking completely unaffected.
She looked delicate, with no visible muscles.
Her two arms combined weren't as thick as his.
But——
When Bao Ruanruan saw him looking at her, she immediately gave him an innocent and gentle smile.
A sense of fragility emanated from every strand of her wind-blown hair.
Lu Wenhao: "..."
"Oh, you scratched your arm." Lan Zhi exclaimed.
Lu Wenhao looked down and realised that there was a scratch on his exposed forearm from wearing a short-sleeved shirt. It must have happened when he fell.
Look, he was clearly the victim!
"See, you really should have worn more clothes, I didn't get hurt when I fell." Xiao Mengfei said excitedly.
She held out her right hand, which she had used to prop herself up.
The impact of the fall had hurt her a bit before, but because she was wearing a boy's sports jacket, the sleeve covered her palm.
Now her palm was still smooth and unmarked.
"You were right, Bao Bao, wearing an extra layer of clothes is really protective. How come you're so smart?"
"Yeah, you're right." Lan Zhi passed by and took a look.
She patted her chest, feeling relieved.
"It's a good thing I listened to Xiao Bao too."
Lu Wenhao: "!"
He was the only one who didn't listen.
And he ended up falling.
[Hahahaha!]
[I feel sorry for my brother's hand, but who told you not to listen to Bao Bao? Hahahahaha!]
[It's so funny, I didn't expect there to be a sequel! Remember when our boy twisted his ankle?]
[Exactly! Oh my gosh, he just never listens! Time and time again, if only he would listen to Bao Ruanruan, everything would be so much better! Hasn't he learned his lesson yet?]
[What’s the sprained ankle thing? Someone fill me in.]
[Watch the Saturday Variety Show yourself.]
[By the way, my boy is really strong but clumsy.]
[Yeah, I didn't expect that either. Looks like the Lu family feeds him well, he's gained a lot of strength!]
[Am I the only one who's tempted to buy those sports clothes? Xiao Mengfei's arm didn't even have a hole in it when she lifted it.]
[Yeah, right, my boy's skin is broken, but the clothes didn't tear when they rubbed against the ground?]
[Wow, that's pretty good! My daughter fell while running at school last week, and tore her knees. And it was an international brand! So it turns out that local materials are of better quality.]
[Whoa... you're right, I didn't realise until you said that.]
[D*mn, you guys are too fast! How come the men's medium-sized Pengmai jackets are all sold out? Aaaaah!]
[Crap!]
[Help, are there any small sizes left?]
The match hadn't even finished yet, but a lot of people were already gloomy.
The comments section was very active, and Zheng Mingchang, the director, should have been happy.
But when he looked at the comments, he couldn't understand it.
What kind of magic had turned his good variety show into a live sales show?
Zheng Mingchang sighed in frustration.
And Qian Hongyi, who just a few minutes ago had been worried about tarnishing the brand's image, was also in a different kind of frustration.
"Brother Yi, our men's jackets—"
"Stop." Qian Hongyi was speechless.
He had seen it in the comments section.
Bao Ruanruan was undoubtedly an S-class salesperson.
Moreover, he saw a blind spot in this year's product marketing - the most basic needs of ordinary consumers who were not professional athletes: durable fabrics.
Bao Ruanruan was the woman who had made him feel that the knowledge he had learned was insufficient.
He would remember her.
"Send a sponsorship and endorsement contract to Bao Ruanruan's agent."
"Endorsement fee... three million."
"Ah, that's—" his subordinate was surprised.
That was far beyond the typical fee for a celebrity with only one million followers.
Qian Hongyi waved his hand, took off his mask, and walked towards the edge of the field.
"Back to the office."
There was no need to observe further.
No one could be a better spokesperson than her!
*
"Huh? Three-legged race, with you?"
Bao Ruanruan had just finished wiping her hands carefully with disinfectant wipes after handling the tug-of-war rope.
It was then that she noticed Lu Wenhao standing in front of her.
His figure cast a shadow over her forehead.
"That's right."
Lu Wenhao stared at her intently.
After a moment, he lowered his voice and gritted his teeth.
"During the tug-of-war earlier, it was you who—"
"What? Don’t talk nonsense."
"...”
D*mn it! He hadn't even finished his sentence!
In Lu Wenhao's mind, though, it was practically confirmed.
Still, he couldn't quite believe it. He glanced at her slender figure again in disbelief.
"You and I, one team for the three-legged race. Let me see your true strength!"
Lu Wenhao took a deep breath.
He needed to see for himself just how much abnormal strength she really had!
But Bao Ruanruan blinked her watery eyes and said, "But if we're together, it won’t work out."
Lu Wenhao's ears instantly turned red. "!"
"Don't talk nonsense, I, I towards you..."
"You are 15 centimetres taller than me, and our leg lengths differ by more than 10 centimetres. In a three-legged race, our stride lengths won't match, so it's impossible to coordinate. It's very dangerous."
"...!?"
Is that all?
Lu Wenhao let out a sigh of relief.
However, he quickly snapped back.
"Doesn’t matter, it's decided."
Was there any reason for her to bind her leg to someone so hostile to her?
Absolutely not.
Bao Ruanruan thought Lu Wenhao was acting strange today, but as her bun-like face scrunched up, she quickly came up with a plan.
She turned and rummaged through her small backpack.
She took out a folded A4 sheet of white paper from inside.
The paper looked plain and ordinary, but Lu Wenhao found it very familiar.
There were big words on it——
#Life-Saving Card#
"Lu Wenhao is willing to help Bao Ruan Ruan once in her difficult time and will not go after her for three days."
"D*mn it!"
Lu Wenhao felt deeply that fate was strangling him by the throat.
Mercilessly.
Author's Note:
Ruanruan: I did my research on Tug-of-War online, always keeping myself up to date6~!
Footnotes Full List
- the second highest rank in a Beggar Sect after the leader. Reference
- 袋 (dài) means bag, but can also mean pocket. So, 4 jackets, each with 2 pockets, plus 1 small bag. 4 x 2 + 1 =9 袋
- The phrase is typically used to describe a situation where someone's head is so full of thoughts or worries that it feels like their head is about to explode or is becoming too big for their body. It's a way of exaggerating the mental stress or confusion someone is experiencing.
- This was Qian Hongyi's thought
- This one was Lu Wenhao's thought.
- In the raw, the author wrote 与时俱进ing~. 与时俱进 (yǔshí-jùjìn) is an idiom that means to develop and progress with the times; to keep up with the times. Adding the 'ing' to the idiom was a trend among Chinese netizens years ago, probably about 6 to 10 years ago. Ironically, Bao Ruanruan said that she was keeping herself up to date when she only picked up the trend in 2023/2024. This story was written in 2023/2024. For further explanation, you can click here.
きつね's Musing
In Bao Ruanruan's mind:
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