In a Survival Variety Show, My Lookalike Rival and I Got a Happy Ending - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

“Congratulations, teachers, on arriving at Sun Island!”

The PD raised her megaphone, wearing her usual wicked smile.

“Today’s task is Sun Island Treasure Hunt! The five teachers need to find three flags based on clues and bring them back to camp before sunset, then raise the team flag on Sun Island!”

“If this mission challenge is successful, everyone will be rewarded with 10 survival points! If you fail, tonight everyone can enjoy the sea breeze accompanied by some compressed biscuits!”

Ximen Ling raised her hand: “PD, we don’t have to tie our legs together this time, right?”

“Don’t worry, we absolutely won’t toss your legs around!” The PD chuckled. “What we’re tossing is your brains.”

The five of them: “…”

[PD: Tired of physical torture, switching to mental attacks.]

[If the production crew doesn’t mess with them one day, I won’t even be used to it.]

[Ximen: As long as my legs aren’t tied, anything is fine.]

The mission began, and the PD handed the clue cards to the five of them.

The clue card contained a string of ambiguous symbols that were hard to understand.

“What is this? A script invented by the crew?” Qin Sijing frowned.

Jiang Xunruo leaned in to take a look, then reminded Qin Sijing to take out the handmade cowhide notebook from yesterday.

As it turned out, it was a symbol exchange: a crescent moon shape represented Moon Island, and a triangle represented rocks.

The two leaned in close, heads down over the notebook in their hands, organizing the clues they discovered. Their hair was almost entangled.

[??? These two are sitting so close today?]

[What are they looking at? Straight-A student notes?]

The two cross-referenced the clues for a long time until Qin Sijing understood. “We go East, toward the rocky area.”

“Mm.” Jiang Xunruo followed by her side, naturally reaching out to support her arm.

The two coordinated as smoothly as flowing water; Jiang Xunruo was responsible for interpreting the clues, while Qin Sijing was responsible for observing the environment.

The first flag was hidden in a crevice of the reef. Just as Qin Sijing was about to crouch down, Jiang Xunruo had already bent over and picked it up first.

“Your leg is inconvenient; I’ll do it.”

“I can do it.”

“But, I will worry.”

[??????]

[Is this a survival variety show or a dating show?]

[Did Qin and Jiang really start dating? If so, tell us ‘moms’ woo woo woo woo.]

[Rival transformed into an attentive girlfriend…]

[The atmosphere between these two has completely changed.]

[A little couple who will always have one more marriage certificate than divorce certificate ^ω^]

The second flag was hidden in a short tree. Ximen Ling volunteered to climb up to get it, but when she jumped down, she didn’t stand steady and almost fell forward. Bai Qi caught her.

“Thank you, Teacher Bai!”

Bai Qi gave an “mm” and said nothing.

Song Yitong watched the whole thing and also said nothing.

[That hesitant look in Sister Song’s eyes…]

[Bai Qi, when you were supporting Ximen, who were you looking at?]

[Ximen: I just wanted to get a flag, how did I suddenly get dragged into an exes’ battlefield?]

The search for the third flag could be described as dramatic; the clue pointed toward the most beautiful reflection by the water.

The most beautiful… reflection?

The five of them looked at each other in front of the only pond on Sun Island.

“Reflection?” Jiang Xunruo said thoughtfully, then looked up at the PD. “PD, is the cue board in your hand reflective?”

PD: “…Ah?”

Jiang Xunruo took the PD’s cue board, adjusted the angle against the sunlight, and the light spot fell under an inconspicuous stone by the pond.

Ximen Ling helped lift the stone, and the third flag was indeed inside.

The PD’s mouth hung open; it took a long time to squeeze out one sentence. “…Teacher Jiang, this is a bit like cheating, isn’t it?”

“The rules didn’t say we couldn’t use the cue board,” Qin Sijing added righteously.

Jiang Xunruo smiled. “Yes, thank you for the cue board, PD.”

PD: ???

[PD, I told you not to mess with someone who has a wife.]

[Qin and Jiang joined together are invincible.]

[Woo woo woo, the Qin-Jiang partnership is still the most pleasing to the eye, Qin-Jiang locked in!]

[Hahahaha, the PD is stunned.]

All three flags were successfully collected. The five returned to camp and successfully raised the team flag.

“Congratulations to the five teachers for completing this eight-day challenge mission! Everyone is rewarded with 10 survival points!”

Just after the PD finished the announcement, the five began to applaud.

“Also! Announcing the best contributors of this mission: Teacher Qin and Teacher Jiang! These two teachers cooperated with tacit understanding and unique thinking, saving a lot of time for the team!”

Applause rang out. Qin Sijing, leaning on her crutch, revealed a rare smile.

Jiang Xunruo sat beside her, clapping gently, her gaze lingering on her the entire time.

[Locked in! Qin-Jiang, stay locked in for me!]

[I’ve already moved the Civil Affairs Bureau here, please get married on the spot, you two!]

[Production crew, quickly release a spin-off called ‘Let’s Get Married: Desert Island Edition’.]

[…Has it really become a dating show?]

[Hahahaha, told the fans not to pop the champagne too early.]

Just as the atmosphere was harmonious, the PD revealed that extremely wicked smile of hers.

“To celebrate the successful completion of this mission, starting from tomorrow, we will return to the previous free-teaming mode! Teams of two, someone will be left out!”

The air instantly froze.

The camera quickly panned over everyone’s faces.

Qin Sijing and Jiang Xunruo looked at the camera calmly. Ximen Ling scratched her head, clearly a bit awkward.

Bai Qi and Song Yitong both kept their heads down, neither looking at the camera.

[??? Free teaming.]

[Will Sister Qin partner with Ruoruo again?]

[Definitely, these two can’t be separated at all. As for Bai-Song, it’s a bit uncertain.]

[Ximen: Then what about me? Am I going to be left out again?]

“Now, five teachers, take three minutes to consider carefully. In three minutes, we will announce your chosen partners!”

“Of course, if a mutual selection occurs, you will automatically form a team. If a single selection occurs,” the PD’s smile deepened, “the production crew will have a special arrangement~”

[Special arrangement = especially wicked arrangement.]

[I’ve already started looking forward to it ahhh.]

The three-minute countdown began.

Qin Sijing turned her head to look at Jiang Xunruo. “It’s free teaming.”

Jiang Xunruo gave an “mm” and directly issued an invitation. “Teacher Qin, are you willing to continue being my partner?”

The corners of Qin Sijing’s mouth curled up, and she agreed very decisively. “Of course.”

Of course.

Besides her, she hadn’t considered anyone else.

[Ahhh, it was Ruoruo who took the initiative. Ruoruo, you love her so much.]

[Sister Qin didn’t even think before agreeing!]

[Is this a couple in their reconciliation period?]

[So sweet to ship, Qin-Jiang.]

At this moment, the atmosphere among the three sitting beside them dropped to freezing point; no one spoke.

Ximen Ling hung her head, looking at no one, already prepared to be left out.

She actually wanted to partner with Jiang Xunruo the most, but… she didn’t dare mention it now.

Last time, she had also kindly helped Jiang Xunruo wash that little bear plushie—it really was just out of kindness.

When Jiang Xunruo mentioned it to her later, although there were no words of blame, she could just feel that she was angry.

When she was angry, she was like a light drizzle; not as violent as a storm, but as you walk in the rain, you can feel your hair and clothes gradually getting wet.

…Forget it, she should just fight alone. Better not to make Jiang Xunruo angry again.

Meanwhile, Song Yitong glanced at Bai Qi, then quickly lowered her head as memories began to surge like a tide.

On the day of their anniversary performance, Song Yitong couldn’t get away from her film set.

The crew had arranged a sudden livestream promotion, and the tone was very firm: “You must be present; it’s stated in the contract.”

At twenty-three, Song Yitong hadn’t learned how to refuse firmly and stood up at Bai Qi’s anniversary performance.

Later, the workload at the film set grew more and more, and Song Yitong gradually became too busy to leave.

She also felt that she had neglected Bai Qi during that time, but it was because of work—Bai Qi should be able to understand her, right?

But when did the fighting start?

The time Song Yitong spent at the film set grew longer and longer. When she returned to the apartment, Bai Qi was already asleep.

Their schedules remained mismatched like that. From then on, they fought and stayed in cold wars almost constantly.

Song Yitong was very, very tired. There was pressure from the film set, and fans were questioning whether she was exhausted.

She and Bai Qi were both “Twin Stars” of musical theater, but their subsequent developments had gradually diverged. Bai Qi became too famous, so famous that Song Yitong could no longer keep up and needed that idol drama to prove herself.

“Bai Qi, I have my own things to do too, I have my own pursuits.”

Then came the long cold war, exhausting both of them.

Seeing her in such pain, Song Yitong felt it was better to release each other.

“Bai Qi, maybe… let’s part ways.”

Bai Qi looked up at her in disbelief. Even now, Song Yitong remembered her shattered expression at that time.

Before, she thought parting was a release for both, but now it seemed not to be the case, because Bai Qi never forgave her afterward.

Song Yitong lowered her eyes. For this free-teaming, she had to avoid Bai Qi.

Every forced pairing, every moment of tacit cooperation, was nothing more than repeating the harm to one another.

After all, who would want to team up… with an ex who dumped them?

Anyway, Bai Qi definitely wouldn’t want to. Song Yitong still had that much self-awareness.

She looked at Ximen Ling. “Teacher Ximen, are you willing to be my partner?”

Ximen Ling was stunned and pointed at herself. “Me? Teacher Song, you’re willing to partner with me? Are you sure?”

“Sure.” Song Yitong forced a smile. “I think Teacher Ximen will be a very reliable partner.”

Ximen Ling was overwhelmed by the favor and nodded. “Teacher Song, don’t worry. Teaming up with me guarantees you’ll be happy every day; I definitely won’t let you feel pressured!”

[??? Sister Song chose Ximen.]

[Wait, then what happens to Bai Qi?]

[Bai Qi is still sitting there with her head down, so lonely woo woo woo.]

[Bai Qi’s expression makes my heart hurt looking at it, ahhh, so tragic.]

Bai Qi hung her head, looking at the stones on the ground as if everything had nothing to do with her.

The PD looked at this awkward scene and strategically cleared her throat. “Ahem! Well… since everyone has finished teaming up, I will announce the next segment!”

Everyone looked over.

“Starting from tomorrow, we will begin the ‘Fan Wish’ mission challenge! Every day, the viewers in the livestream will vote in real-time to select the task they most want to see! It might be some challenges, or it might be some special games!”

[PD, because of you, I’m afraid of the word ‘special’.]

[Fan wish? I want to see a bridal curry for Qin-Jiang!]

[I want to see Bai-Song return to the stage to perform their ‘love-defining’ piece!]

[PD, tomorrow you will see a whole bunch of wicked fan wishes.]

[The production crew knows what people want to see, hahahahaha.]

PD: “A successful mission will grant 2 survival points. If you fail, not only will you get 0 points, but there will also be a punishment!”

The five: “…”