In a Survival Variety Show, My Lookalike Rival and I Got a Happy Ending - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

“Congratulations to our five teachers for unlocking the ‘Deserted Island Big Family’ achievement!”

The moment the PD’s voice fell, five pairs of “What are you trying to pull now?” eyes looked at her in unison.

[??? What kind of nonsense is the production team up to again?] [I’m used to it; this team has a flair for madness that disregards human life.]

The PD coughed twice. “Cough, cough. After careful consideration yesterday, we’ve decided to extend the One-Day Roommate mode! Starting today, the locked-group mode is upgraded: fixed teammates will share rooms and face the upcoming challenges together!”

The world went silent for a beat.

Qin Sijing was the first to stand up. “I refuse!”

Bai Qi, who usually avoided speaking to the production crew, spoke up with a cold face. “I refuse as well.”

Song Yitong pursed her lips and chimed in, “PD, this isn’t appropriate.”

Seeing everyone’s icy expressions, Ximen Ling scratched her hair awkwardly, trying to smooth things over. “PD, isn’t this decision a bit sudden? How about we negotiate a bit more?”

Only Jiang Xunruo sat quietly in her seat, expressionless.

[????????] [Production team, are you crazy? Can Bai and Song really be locked together?] [You guys really aren’t afraid of being torn apart by everyone, are you?] [The expressions of Qin Sijing, Bai Qi, and Song Yitong are the highlights of the night, hahahaha.] [Again? How much longer is this forced coupling going to last? Stop sucking my sister’s blood!!!] [Ruo is beautiful on her own! Please, a certain family, walk independently and stop clinging to her!]

The bullet comments were a boiling pot. The long-standing grievances between Qin and Jiang’s fanbases erupted, turning the chat into a murky mess of arguments.

Facing three gazes that were practically murderous, the PD bit the bullet and forced a fake smile.

“Oh, teachers! Please understand! You’re about to engage in eight days of team collaboration. That’s a massive undertaking. How can you succeed without chemistry? Chemistry needs to be nurtured!”

The PD cleared her throat. “Ahem, and our viewers are extremely enthusiastic. They specifically requested that we lock the groups, and we are simply respecting the needs of the audience!”

[?? Since when were we represented again?] [I know! A few days ago, I saw a CP fan with the ID ‘JingRuo’ give the show a massive donation!] [They’re literally using money to smash the CP together…]

Five people: “…”

The faces of Bai Qi and Song Yitong were the coldest; the air around them almost froze into ice on the spot.

Qin Sijing felt her vision go dark. She continued to struggle. “Is it too late for me to quit the show now?”

“Of course it’s too late!” The PD looked sincere. “Quitting without cause requires paying ten times the liquidated damages!”

Qin Sijing: “…”

Under the stubborn suppression of the production team, the locked-roommate mode became a reality. Fans online were furious, wishing they could crawl through the fiber-optic cables to tear the production team apart.

@RuoIsUnique: [Show team, be human!!! Is there no end to this forced locking? Haven’t you sucked enough blood? Stop workplace bullying!!! @90DaysOfSurvival]

@RoundSmallJing: [Heh, who is sucking whose blood? Stop pretending, okay? Do you really think your Jiang is that popular? Forgotten whose shoulders she stepped on to get to the top?]

@DidBaiSongRemarryToday: [My heart aches for Bai and Song being forced to live together… Team, you have no heart!!!]

Seeing the public opinion spiraling out of control, the PD started to panic. Although Qin Sijing was reluctant to live together, she knew the power of public sentiment in this industry. “We should issue a joint statement.”

Jiang Xunruo nodded. “I think that’s best. I want everyone to enjoy the show without fighting.”

Ximen Ling and the others followed suit. That day, the five of them posted a group photo with a caption:

[We are teammates fighting side by side and friends who look after one another. Deserted island survival let’s do our best together! Hope everyone can enjoy the show happily, love you all~]

Statement aside, while the surface-level appearances were maintained, the awkwardness didn’t diminish one bit.

Back in the room, Qin Sijing felt restless. It was the same room as yesterday, the same double bed, but it was no longer a one-day trial, it was a permanent cohabitation. It felt so strange.

“Teacher Qin.” Jiang Xunruo suddenly called out. She looked up at Qin Sijing with that same gentle and polite expression. “Could you do me a favor? I can’t quite reach the wound on my back.”

Qin Sijing froze. The injury on her back was sustained last time because of her. She nodded, fished out the first-aid kit, and sat down beside Jiang Xunruo.

“Thank you, Teacher Qin.” Jiang Xunruo smiled and turned around. Without any hesitation, she lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing her back.

Her back was covered in wounds. Although they were mostly scabbed over, they still looked incredibly painful. Qin Sijing stared at them, her throat tightening. Previously, she had only imagined it based on the medical staff’s reports; now, seeing the injury directly before her eyes made her feelings complicated. After all, looking at this wound reminded her exactly who Jiang Xunruo had been hurt for.

Qin Sijing lowered her eyes, carefully lightening her touch as she applied the medicine bit by bit. “Does… does it hurt?”

Jiang Xunruo didn’t speak but flinched slightly.

Qin Sijing stopped immediately, looking nervous. “Ah? Did I hurt you?”

“No,” Jiang Xunruo shook her head, her voice very soft. “Teacher Qin is very gentle.”

Qin Sijing tried to keep her mind clear, her heart full of guilt as she focused on the task. However, she once again smelled that familiar, clean fragrance from yesterday. She didn’t dare linger; as soon as she finished, she packed up the kit. “All done. I’m going to take a shower!”

While showering, Qin Sijing suddenly realized her world was about to collapse again. She hadn’t brought her pajamas! Her current clothes were already wet; she couldn’t exactly walk back out like this to get them.

She stood frozen in the bathroom for a minute before finally helping herself to ask Jiang Xunruo.

“…Jiang Xunruo.”

“What is it?” Jiang Xunruo responded quickly.

Qin Sijing closed her eyes. Why was she being so awkward? Hadn’t Jiang Xunruo just asked her for help? It was just a pair of pajamas. What was the big deal?

“I forgot my pajamas. They’re, uh, in my suitcase. Could you get them for me?”

“Okay.”

Qin Sijing could hear the footsteps moving toward her suitcase. After a moment, the footsteps approached her, and her heartbeat grew clearer.

“Teacher Qin, the clothes.”

Qin Sijing opened the door just a crack, and Jiang Xunruo handed them to her.

“Thanks,” Qin Sijing said in a muffled voice.

When she came out after her shower, she found Ximen Ling had arrived and was sitting outside chatting with Jiang Xunruo. Ximen Ling greeted her enthusiastically. “Teacher Qin, come eat some fruit!”

“This is a wild fruit Ximen found,” Jiang Xunruo explained.

Since the locking of groups, Qin-Jiang and Bai-Song were roommates, leaving Ximen Ling alone. Being someone who couldn’t stay still, she had started visiting everyone.

“This wild fruit is actually quite tasty,” Qin Sijing evaluated seriously.

“Right, right!!” Ximen Ling laughed. “I’m off to send some warmth to Teacher Bai and Teacher Song now!”

“Okay, bye,” Qin Sijing and Jiang Xunruo said simultaneously.

…

On the other side, Bai Qi and Song Yitong stood in their room, neither speaking. Bai Qi had a cold face, and when she opened her mouth, her words were icy.

“I have no interest in pleasantries with you. I cannot stay in the same room as you.”

Song Yitong was stunned for a moment but quickly adjusted her expression. “I know, but the production team…”

Bai Qi leaned against the doorframe, her lips curling into a cold sneer. “Are you trying to say we should coexist peacefully? There are no live cameras here right now. You don’t have to act.”

Song Yitong’s face instantly lost all color, turning pale, her lips trembling. Bai Qi stared at her, almost softening, almost pitying her, almost wanting to step forward and hold her.

But… Song Yitong was the one who had discarded her first. It was Song Yitong who had started hurting her first. She couldn’t just forget the pain, forget the past.

Song Yitong, pale-faced, looked at her. “Bai Qi, do we have to speak to each other like this?”

“How else should we speak?” Bai Qi’s words were like a knife, stabbing into Song Yitong’s heart over and over. “Reminisce? Or talk about musicals?”

At the mention of musicals, she even gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Sorry, I forgot. Musicals and I were never that important to you.”

Song Yitong’s tears began to fall, one by one, as if they would never stop.

“If you don’t want to see me, I can apply to share a room with Ximen.” She wiped her tears, trying to calm herself. “Don’t worry, I won’t be an eyesore for you.”

“Fine.”

Bai Qi only said one word, but Song Yitong couldn’t bear to hear another. She grabbed her suitcase and walked out, leaving Bai Qi alone in the room.

The strength Bai Qi had maintained collapsed the moment Song Yitong turned away. She slumped down, her tears flowing violently more than Song Yitong’s had.

It turns out that when you cry that hard, even your eyelids hurt, as if sliced by a blade. Her heart felt torn apart, making it almost impossible to breathe.