In a Survival Variety Show, My Lookalike Rival and I Got a Happy Ending - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

“…But I didn’t say I wanted a hug.” After a long silence, Qin Sijing finally managed to squeeze out a sentence.

Jiang Xunruo looked at her quietly.

“Mm,” her voice was very soft, carrying a hint of soothing. “Then it’s that I want a hug.”

Qin Sijing: “…”

Help she felt like she was running a fever; her face was heating up rapidly. Her heartbeat was also incredibly loud.

“But, it’s a bit strange,” she was still making a deathbed struggle.

Her heart was beating so fast, so very fast, it almost felt like it would jump out. If she were wearing an electronic wristband right now, it would probably be alerting her to go to the hospital.

Jiang Xunruo didn’t speak, just looked at her quietly.

That gaze was like the surface of the sea under moonlight, calm and deep, as if Qin Sijing would unavoidably sink into it if she kept staring.

“It’s not strange. Is it possible you don’t want to hug me?”

“…”

Jiang Xunruo, you win.

Qin Sijing’s face turned beet red; this time, she truly had nothing left to say.

She slowly leaned toward Jiang Xunruo, lowered her head, and buried her face into the crook of her shoulder. That clean scent of coconut instantly enveloped her.

Qin Sijing closed her eyes enjoyingly.

The lingering panic from the nightmare just now was swept away. She gradually relaxed, and she couldn’t even help it. The corners of her mouth curled upward wildly.

…

The next morning, the PD’s (Production Director) megaphone sounded on time.

“Teachers, a new day has begun! Today, we’re going to push through to the Yuetao coastline in one go to find the best spot for raft building!”

She glanced at Qin Sijing, who was sitting in her spot. “As for Teacher Qin, since your leg injury hasn’t healed yet, you will serve as the remote general commander today! Use the walkie-talkie to provide strategic support for everyone!”

The PD saw Qin Sijing and asked “is something wrong with her?” expression.

The corners of Qin’s mouth had been turned up all morning. She even smiled and clapped after the PD finished speaking. “Alright.”

PD: ???

The bullet comments (danmu) were even more full of question marks.

【??????】 【What’s up? Did Sister Qin win the lottery?】 【Wasn’t her face dark yesterday? Why is she smiling so sweetly today?】 【It must be related to Jiang; I saw their eyes “pulling silk” (lingering) just now…】 【Ugh, stop imagining things. Sister Qin was just in a bad mood yesterday and happens to be in a good mood today!】 【Here we go again, dragging Jiang into everything? Can we completely decouple them?】

Jiang Xunruo sat beside Qin Sijing, a very faint hint of a smile flitting through her eyes as well.

She handed her a simple breakfast wrapped in banana leaves, her voice very gentle. “Then you sit here, and we’ll go complete the mission.”

【Ahhh so ambiguous, Qin-Jiang!】 【Is this declaring sovereignty?】 【I don’t believe it! It must be hype!】 【Ruo-Ruo is this nice to everyone; she’d hand out breakfast no matter who it was!】 【Ximen/Bai/Song: Is that so? Then shall we go?】

However, Qin Sijing’s good mood only lasted until the mission truly began.

The PD helped her onto a high platform at the camp. This spot had an excellent view, overlooking more than half of Yuetao Island.

Her tool was a walkie-talkie, so she could communicate with her teammates at any time.

“Are you ready? 3, 2, 1! Set off!” With the PD’s command, the four-person team disappeared into the jungle.

Qin Sijing stared at the monitor with a composed air, her gaze unconsciously locking onto that white figure.

Then, her smile slowly froze on her face.

The four needed to cross a small stream. Ximen Ling jumped across in a few steps, then turned back and reached out her hand: “Teacher Jiang, come, I’ll pull you!”

Jiang Xunruo looked at the stream water, “No need…”

But Ximen Ling had already taken her hand without allowing any argument, and the two of them quickly landed lightly on the other side.

Qin Sijing: …

She picked up the walkie-talkie expressionlessly. “After crossing the stream, there are vines ahead. Everyone, be careful.”

【Ximen knows how to do it! Ling-Ruo is so ship-worthy ughhh】 【Omg, what is Sister Qin feeling seeing this…】 【Stop projecting onto my sister, thanks. She’s not feeling anything, don’t cue her!】 【About the fact that my leg is broken and I can only watch my wife hold hands with someone else.】 【This show is really drama-heavy, one thing after another…】 【This perspective is so cruel for Qin, but I love watching it hahaha】

The four of them quickly entered the zone.

Ximen Ling had the best physical strength and led the way for everyone, turning back from time to time to remind them: “Teacher Jiang, Teacher Bai, Teacher Song, watch your step, there’s moss here.”

Jiang Xunruo responded warmly: “Okay, thank you.”

Bai Qi and Song Yitong walked side-by-side behind the two, still with zero communication.

By noon, the four finally had time to stop for lunch.

Qin Sijing did the same, taking the compressed biscuits issued by the production team and eating them.

Then she saw on the monitor that Ximen Ling took out four self-made rice balls and handed them to Jiang Xunruo and the others.

Jiang Xunruo was somewhat surprised. She took the rice ball and thanked her gently: “Teacher Ximen is so thoughtful.”

The two sat side-by-side on a rock by the stream, eating rice balls and chatting, leaving Bai Qi and Song Yitong as mere background characters.

Qin Sijing glanced down at the compressed biscuit she was eating and silently put it away.

Ximen, you’re actually running a private kitchen!The biscuit in Sister Qin’s hand suddenly doesn’t smell good anymore.PD, give Captain Qin a rice ball too, look how the kid is craving it

The afternoon mission made Qin Sijing feel even more restless.

The four of them needed to climb a slope to collect tree bark.

Bai Qi and Song Yitong were in one group; naturally, the remaining Ximen Ling was grouped with Jiang Xunruo.

It had to be said, both groups coordinated well.

Bai Qi and Song Yitong didn’t speak the whole time, but they knew what the other wanted with just a look.

When Song Yitong looked up, Bai Qi would help move aside branches that might fall.

Ximen Ling was responsible for climbing the trees to peel the bark, while Jiang Xunruo stayed below to receive it.

“Teacher Jiang, is this piece enough?”

“That’s about enough. Be careful coming down.”

“Don’t worry! I’m very agile!”

Qin Sijing sat in the shed, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the monitor, while her leg occasionally sent pulses of faint pain.

At this moment, she felt like an old, lonely person forced to watch a dating variety show.

And it was the “forced to watch” kind.

Jiang Xunruo’s voice came through the walkie-talkie. “Captain Qin, we’ve collected a lot of tree bark. Do you think this is enough?”

“Not enough,” Qin Sijing’s voice betrayed no emotion. “There’s a denser thicket further ahead; you can all go check it out together.”

“Okay.”

By evening, the four reached the Yuetao coastline, perfectly completing the task assigned by the PD.

Qin Sijing took the production team’s car and was delivered directly in front of them.

Looking at the four people in front of her talking and laughing, mainly Jiang Xunruo and Ximen Ling laughing, Qin Sijing felt a bit uneasy in her heart.

Because her leg was broken, she could only watch her teammates talking, laughing, and completing missions together; she felt a sense of being abandoned by the whole world.

After dinner, Jiang Xunruo helped Qin Sijing back into the tent to rest.

“Teacher Qin,” Jiang Xunruo suddenly spoke up. “I noticed you didn’t talk much today.”

She paused, looking at her with a concerned gaze. “Is it because your leg hurts badly, or is there something making you unhappy today?”

Qin Sijing lowered her eyes. “Is that so? Maybe it’s just being immobile that’s a bit annoying.”

“Is it only a problem with the leg?”

“…”

Jiang Xunruo looked at her. “I thought it was because I’ve been frequently paired with Teacher Ximen lately and neglected you, so you were… unhappy.”

Qin Sijing finally looked up, her face wearing an extremely calm smile.

It was just like the kind of smile she usually used for business in front of the media.

“I’m not unhappy.”

Her voice was also very calm.

“No matter who you are paired with, it won’t affect us being a team. Conversely, it’s the same—I can be paired with anyone, and I can also be on my own.”

The breezy, calm expression on Jiang Xunruo’s face froze.

“As the captain, I’m happy for you seeing how tacit, perfect, and relaxed your coordination with Ximen has been during this time.”

Qin Sijing continued speaking, her tone as light as if she were reciting an award speech. “Congratulations, the most tacit pairing in the show belongs to you two without question.”

Jiang Xunruo: “…”

Looking at Jiang Xunruo’s slightly stunned expression, the sourness in Qin’s heart transformed into a certain kind of almost self-torturing pleasure.