In a Survival Variety Show, My Lookalike Rival and I Got a Happy Ending - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

“Good morning, teachers!”

The PD held her megaphone and announced today’s task.

“Today, our Fan Wish mission is the Duo Desert Island Obstacle Cross-Country Race!”

Qin Sijing glanced at her leg. “Wait a minute, PD, do I look like someone who can do cross-country in this state?”

PD: “Teacher Qin, there are always more solutions than difficulties!”

Fine, she had an answer for everything.

Ximen Ling rubbed her hands together, clearly very excited. “I like this one!”

Bai Qi and Song Yitong each sat at opposite ends with three people between them, neither looking at the other.

[Sister Qin: ???]

[PD: Our production crew has no conscience, only viewership points.]

[I get it, I get it! The PD wants Ruoruo to carry Sister Qin on her back. To give us Qin-Jiang CP fans sugar, they truly are full of schemes.]

[Gag, please no physical contact!]

[Disgusting production crew, to hype the Qin-Jiang CP, they’ve lost all sense of shame!]

The PD coughed, finally revealing her true intent. “Considering Teacher Qin’s situation, the rules for this competition can be adjusted flexibly. Teammates are allowed to carry each other on their backs or in their arms to participate.”

[????]

[PD, are you secretly shipping Qin-Jiang too?]

[I knew it!!!! Scheming production crew!!!]

Qin Sijing looked at Jiang Xunruo, her eyes asking for her opinion.

Jiang Xunruo nodded and replied, “Don’t worry, I have no problem with it.”

Ximen Ling looked at the PD: “Really? Then Teacher Song and I can do that too?”

Song Yitong noticed the murderous gaze Bai Qi threw her way and hurriedly waved her hands. “No need, no need, I can walk by myself!”

“Teacher Song, don’t be polite with me! I have great strength; carrying you is no problem at all!”

Song Yitong: “…”

Bai Qi’s expression turned cold at a speed visible to the naked eye.

[Ximen, you better sleep carefully tonight…]

[Hahahaha, is Ximen really clueless or just pretending? Her survival instinct is zero.]

[Sister Bai: My eyes have already committed murder.]

[Sister Tong: Save me.]

[LMAO, this production crew is truly blessed by the heavens with exes’ battlefields to eat.]

[Bai Qi’s jealousy is so obvious.]

[Sister Tong is also very unusual. I’ve never seen her this flustered.]

“The race route is two kilometers in total,” the PD continued explaining the rules. “It includes a climbing net, a single-plank bridge, and a mud pit crossing!”

“First place is rewarded with 2 survival points, plus a special surprise reward from our crew—a one-hour duo hot spring bath experience!”

The five: ???

“Second place is rewarded with 1 point. Third place gets 0 points and is responsible for preparing post-bath snacks for the first-place winners!”

[???????]

[Hot spring? Where did the crew get that from?]

[Probably just heated water poured into a pit and named a hot spring.]

[Hahahaha so wicked ahhhh.]

[…Who dares to take first place?]

The groupings followed the previous free-teaming selections.

Qin-Jiang Team, Xi-Song Team, and Bai Qi (Solo).

PD reminded: “Everyone get ready! The race is about to start!”

While Qin Sijing was still standing in place with her crutch, Jiang Xunruo had already crouched down in front of her.

“Get on.” Her voice was very light, with no hint of a command.

“…Then I’ll be relying on you today, Teacher Jiang.”

Jiang Xunruo rose steadily, her hands supporting the crooks of Qin Sijing’s knees. She turned her head and smiled very gently.

“Don’t worry, we won’t lose.”

If winning or losing was truly that important to Qin Sijing if she wanted to win that badly—then she would let her win.

[Jiangjiang is so Alpha today.]

[I’m shipping this to death ahhhhh. Are these two aiming for the duo bath?]

[Enough, Ruoruo just simply wants to win.]

[Sister Qin only has the mission in her eyes, don’t cue her.]

[These two look so well-matched no matter how you look at them woo woo.]

The three on the other side had already entered the exes’ battlefield.

“Teacher Song, get on!”

“Teacher Ximen, I…”

Before Song Yitong could finish, Ximen Ling directly picked her up in a bridal carry. Song Yitong lost her balance and subconsciously reached out to hook her arms around Ximen’s neck.

Bai Qi’s gaze swept over Ximen Ling’s hand placed on Song Yitong’s waist; her face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

[Ximen, I’m serious, you are dead meat tonight.]

[Ximen, stop it. I’m really afraid Sister Bai will blow up the whole production crew.]

[It’s just a game! Sister Bai, why do you care so much about your ex-wife interacting with others?]

[Ximen, quickly buy a boat ticket and flee overnight. I’m afraid I won’t see you tomorrow.]

[Sister Tong can only be held by Sister Bai! Ximen, put her down quickly!]

[Ximen: I just want to win! I don’t care about your love-hate feuds!]

Seeing everyone was ready, the PD blew the whistle. “The race begins!”

Jiang Xunruo carried Qin Sijing with very steady movements, one hand grasping the rope net and the other protecting her back.

“Are you… tired?” Qin Sijing couldn’t help but ask.

Jiang Xunruo shook her head, her voice carrying a hint of a smile. “Not tired. You are very light.”

[????]

[Is this a race or a date? Could you two please respect the competition?]

[Gosh, it’s really so ambiguous.]

Ximen Ling on the other side was… more wild.

She only had eyes for victory. Her speed was like a monkey’s, and she completely failed to notice the expression of extreme agony on Song Yitong’s face in her arms.

Bai Qi followed behind them, her murderous gaze tightly trailing them.

[Sister Song looks like she’s suffering.]

[Does Ximen really want to win that badly?]

[Wait, when did Ling-Ruo break up? Can anyone tell me?]

[Ling-Ruo woo woo why did it turn out like this.]

[Ximen, be careful, Bai Qi has been staring at you!]

[Sister Bai: Ximen, you’d better sleep with your eyes open tonight.]

This agony maintained all the way until the end of the single-plank bridge.

Song Yitong really couldn’t take it anymore. “Teacher Ximen, put me down, I can walk by myself.”

Ximen Ling obediently put her down, wearing a face that practically begged for praise. “How was it? Did I run fast today? Am I impressed?”

Song Yitong leaned against a tree trunk panting, almost unable to speak. “I…”

Unexpectedly, Bai Qi, like a ghost, had already walked up behind them.

Her expression was very cold, so cold that even Ximen Ling, who usually lacked discernment, got goosebumps.

“Doing it like that makes her uncomfortable.” Her voice was even colder.

Ximen Ling almost broke into a cold sweat. “Ah? I… I didn’t notice. I’m sorry, Teacher Song.”

Song Yitong waved her hand, her face a bit pale. “Teacher Ximen, there’s no need to apologize. I’m fine, really fine.”

[??? What are we seeing?]

[Ximen just wanted to win! She did nothing wrong!]

[Sister Song was really suffering to death. To win, do you disregard your teammate’s feelings? Look at how steady Qin-Jiang is!]

[Sister Bai, you… actually, you really care about Sister Tong, don’t you?]

[Stop chatting, you three! Qin-Jiang has already overtaken you!]

While the three of them were still at a standstill at the second obstacle, Qin Sijing and Jiang Xunruo had already arrived at the third.

The third obstacle required crossing a mud pit; the mud was very deep.

Qin Sijing frowned. “The mud pit is too deep. You won’t be able to move carrying me on your back.”

If only her leg weren’t injured right now.

“Then… shall I carry you across?” Jiang Xunruo asked.

“…Is there a difference?”

“Yes,” Jiang Xunruo answered seriously. “In a bridal carry, the weight is more evenly distributed.”

Jiang Xunruo picked Qin Sijing up in a bridal carry and walked into the mud pit step by step.

The result was without suspense.

First place: Qin-Jiang Team. Second place: Xi-Song Team. Third place: Bai Qi.

The PD excitedly announced the results: “Congratulations to Teacher Qin and Teacher Jiang for winning first place! You receive 2 survival points and the duo hot spring bath experience special to our crew!”

“Second place, Teacher Ximen and Teacher Song, receive 1 survival point!”

“Third place, Teacher Bai, gets 0 points. Please go to the kitchen to prepare the post-bath snacks!”

Bai Qi: “…”

Qin Sijing and Jiang Xunruo were led by staff to the duo hot spring bath the crew mentioned.

This duo hot spring was actually just a bamboo shack. Inside was a small pool built of stones, and the water looked like heated tap water.

Though the environment was simple, it was quite a luxury on a desert island.

The swirling steam filled the small space, and the atmosphere became inexplicably ambiguous.

Jiang Xunruo knit her brows slightly, which Qin Sijing noticed immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“Mm, it’s just that my back hurts a little.”

“Turn around and let me see.”

Jiang Xunruo turned around and directly lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing a patch of smooth skin so Qin Sijing could see her back clearly.

The injury on her back was from before; there was still a bit of bruising.

“I’ll go get some medicine.”

Qin Sijing carefully applied medicine to her back, her movements exceptionally gentle.

Jiang Xunruo could feel the temperature of her fingertips and the soft pressure, bringing a slight shiver.

She let out a low laugh. “I feel like we’re filming a TV drama.”

The kind of plot where the main characters apply medicine to each other.

“A girl-love drama?” Qin Sijing also laughed.

“Mm.”

Once the ointment was applied, both changed into bathrobes and soaked in the hot spring.

The water was warm. For a while, neither spoke; there was only the sound of water and their breathing.

“I feel like it’s… strange.”

“What’s strange?”

Qin Sijing couldn’t say what was strange exactly. But this… was too much.

Now, as soon as she looked up, she saw the swirling steam, Jiang Xunruo’s face with its own soft-glow filter, and the traces of water droplets sliding down her collarbone.

“It’s just too intimate. A bit… unlike partners.” Qin Sijing weighed her words carefully, her heartbeat a little out of order.

Jiang Xunruo looked at her quietly. Amidst the swirling steam, her gaze was as gentle as water.

“Aren’t partners like this?” she said. “Taking care of each other, supporting one another. Just like how you need me because your leg is injured, and I need you because my back is hurt.”

Qin Sijing was dazed. “I suppose that’s true.”

It indeed seemed like partners were like this taking care of each other and relying on one another.

But then again, it didn’t seem… intimate to this degree, did it?

Meanwhile, the low pressure in the kitchen was comparable to the eve of a storm.

Bai Qi was cutting fruit in the kitchen. Song Yitong and Ximen Ling stood by the side, unsure if they should help.

Ximen Ling took the initiative to speak. “Teacher Bai, do you need our help?”

“No need.”

Ximen Ling glanced at Song Yitong and scratched her head awkwardly.

Song Yitong said in a low voice, “You go out first. Leave this to me.”

“Okay, okay, okay,” Ximen Ling mouthed back, exiting the kitchen as if granted a grand amnesty.

Song Yitong took a few steps closer to Bai Qi, her voice softening. “Let me do it.”

“No need.”

“Are you going to refuse… even me?”

“…”

Sure enough, Bai Qi’s fruit-cutting movements paused.

After a few seconds of silence, she silently moved over one spot, leaving space for Song Yitong.