The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 17

 

“Teacher Tang.” Meng Xue had initially planned to pretend not to see her and walk past, but with such a conspicuous person right in front of her, ignoring her would have been too impolite. In the end, she had no choice but to force herself to greet Tang Jing calmly.

Unbeknownst to her, the blush on her face hadn’t yet faded, and her eyes still shimmered with moisture when she looked at Tang Jing, a physiological reaction from being too embarrassed.

“Morning.” Tang Jing had originally wanted to tease her a little, but seeing how flustered she was, as if she wished she could vanish into thin air, she ultimately decided against it.

With their tasks on the mountain completed, the two packed up and prepared to descend.

Going up was easy, but coming down was hard. The rugged mountain path required careful steps at every turn, lest they slip and fall.

Tang Jing walked ahead, with Meng Xue following behind.

In places Meng Xue didn’t notice, Tang Jing kept an eye on her footing. Whenever the path seemed tricky, she would slow her pace and reach out a hand to steady Meng Xue.

[Wuwuwu, their love is real!]

[I don’t care what anyone says, I’m shipping this CP.]

[As Tang’s dedicated fan, even I can’t take it anymore, I’m rooting for Tang to sweep Meng off her feet.]

[No way, it’s clearly Meng who’s got Tang wrapped around her finger.]

Yesterday, she had eagerly rushed to the vegetable patch, hoping to chat with her senior, only to learn that Meng Xue and Tang Jing had gone up the mountain for a task. Her enthusiasm for the vegetable patch instantly waned.

Especially when she thought about her beloved senior being alone with Tang Jing on the mountain surely, a lot must have happened between them.

Just imagining the possibility of intimate moments between the two made her seethe with anger.

Upon learning that the two would descend the mountain today, she pretended to go on a task and casually made her way to the foot of the mountain.

Once there, she glanced upward and immediately spotted her senior’s figure. Her eyes lit up, and a smile spread across her face as she raised her hand to call out,m only to see Tang Jing holding her senior’s hand at that very moment.

The smile on her lips froze instantly.

But with the cameras rolling, she quickly composed herself into a polite smile and waved. “Senior, Sister Tang.”

Hearing the familiar voice from below, Tang Jing and Meng Xue looked down.

Meng Xue waved back at her.

Tang Jing’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. Her first instinct was to let go of Meng Xue’s hand, but remembering the resolution she had made the night before, she averted her gaze and continued helping Meng Xue down the mountain.

This series of subtle movements didn’t escape the sharp eyes of the live-stream audience.

[Did Tang just try to avoid suspicion with that move?]

[Looks like it, but then her expression turned resolute again.]

[So, Tang’s words last night weren’t just empty talk.]

[Wuwuwu, Tang, please remember what you said last night, stay away from that little green tea, okay?]

[Hey, are you talking to her like she’s a kid?]

Regardless, Tang Jing’s actions just now thrilled the audience, who had long been fed up with Sun Sijia.

She had taken advantage of Tang’s kindness, acting out without restraint, completely oblivious to her own place.

“Senior.” Sun Sijia sidled up, deliberately or not, nudging Tang Jing aside as she cooed and whined to Meng Xue. “Senior, why didn’t you call me when you went up the mountain? Yesterday, when I went to water the vegetables and found out you weren’t home, I was so sad for a while.”

Tang Jing said to Meng Xue, “I’ll take these things back first. Don’t forget to claim the points later.”

“Got it.” Meng Xue nodded with a smile.

“Sister Tang, are you mad at me?” Sun Sijia looked at her with pitiful eyes.

Tang Jing stopped in her tracks and turned to face her.

Sun Sijia wore an expression of both guilt and hesitation. “The reason I turned down your confession is that… I already have someone I like.”

Tang Jing nodded. “Wishing you happiness.” Without another word, she walked away, her expression unchanged from start to finish.

[LMAO, “wishing you happiness” is killing me.]

[Queen Tang knows how to deliver a blessing.]

[The little green tea probably expected to see a heartbroken look on Tang’s face. Too bad, Queen Tang never liked her in the first place. It was all because of her mother’s dying wish. And here she thought Tang was head over heels for her. Hilarious.]

[If the little green tea heard what Queen Tang said last night, I wonder what her face would look like.]

[Definitely wouldn’t be a pleasant expression.]

Sun Sijia was indeed not doing well. She should have been happy that Tang Jing didn’t press further or cling to her, even offering well-wishes.

But at the same time, she felt uneasy. It was as if everything had changed in just one day though she couldn’t quite pinpoint how.

She wasn’t afraid of Tang Jing’s feelings for her. What terrified her was the possibility that Tang might take back all the resources currently in her hands endorsements, variety show spots, acting roles.

The more she thought about it, the more she realized that her current status was entirely built on Tang Jing’s support.

Yet, she had always pretended not to notice, even recklessly exploiting Tang’s kindness, because every time Tang got upset, a few pitiful, sweet words were enough to win forgiveness.

This time was different. She had rejected Tang’s confession.

From the moment they entered the show until now, Tang hadn’t sought her out once. Every time they crossed paths, Tang remained silent.

Distracted, Sun Sijia even struggled to focus on her conversation with her senior.

Watching Tang Jing walk away, she bit her lower lip, brows furrowed, lost in thought.

In the afternoon, after their nap, Tang Jing and Meng Xue received a task that required them to split up.

Meng Xue adjusted her baseball cap and grinned. “Teacher Tang, see you later.”

Tang Jing, still groggy from sleep, stared blankly at her before lazily mumbling, “Mm.”

Normally stern and composed, Tang’s current drowsy, clueless demeanor was an adorable contrast. Meng Xue burst out laughing. “Bye, Teacher Tang!” She turned and ran off.

Tang Jing absentmindedly followed a few steps before belatedly remembering her task was in the opposite direction. She halted, turned around, and walked the other way.

The live audience was in stitches.

[After watching this show, I’ve gone from neutral to a full-blown Tang stan.]

[I always thought Queen Tang was untouchably aloof, but turns out she’s so down-to-earth in real life.]

[Who’s the lucky one dating such an adorable Tang Jing?]

“Sister Tang!” A sudden voice snapped the live audience’s attention back.

Tang Jing was also startled, snapping out of her daze as her steps faltered.

Viewers panicked, fearing she might soften again.

[NOOOO! Queen Tang, don’t you dare acknowledge that little green tea!]

[Tang Jing, have you forgotten what you said on the mountaintop?]

[Meng Xue, hurry over! Your Teacher Tang is about to get played by your junior again.]

The live-stream audience was anxious for Tang Jing, but she herself remained completely unfazed. She glanced at the system task list, the world progress was still stuck at 30%, showing no advancement.

Yet, she had already devised a countermeasure. Calmly, she turned around to look.

Sun Sijia jogged over, panting slightly as she smiled and asked, “Sister Tang, are you doing a mission?”

Her smile was as sweet as could be, the kind that easily won over first-time acquaintances and earned her the label of a “sweetheart.”

But when it came to acting, Sun Sijia was no match for Tang Jing.

“Mm,” Tang Jing replied with her usual indifferent expression, so Sun Sijia noticed nothing amiss. Seeing Tang Jing standing there waiting for her, she assumed she must have misjudged the situation earlier that morning.

“What mission are you doing? Maybe we can team up?” Sun Sijia’s real motive for catching up was to seize a chance to talk to Tang Jing alone.

She didn’t want to bring this up when her senior was around because she didn’t want her senior to see her other side, the side that was somewhat pitiful, forced to cling to Tang Jing for the sake of her career, sometimes even feigning smiles to get along.

She wanted her senior to remember only her sunny, well-behaved self. As for the wretched version of her, it was better kept hidden to spare her senior any heartache.

Tang Jing studied her for two seconds. Just as the audience thought she was about to refuse, she nodded.

[Ah! I’m so mad, what is Tang Jing doing?!]

[I’m switching from fan to anti. I just started liking her!]

[Did Sun Sijia really put some kind of spell on Tang Jing? How could she go back on her words right after saying she’d figured things out on the mountain?]

[It’s not exactly going back on her word. This is a show, it wouldn’t look good to make a scene.]

[Or maybe Tang Jing has other considerations?]

Tang Jing and Meng Xue had taken on a relay game. The rules were simple: Tang Jing had to do farm work at Old Man Li’s house in the east end of the village to get the next clue, while Meng Xue had to get hers from Aunt Liu in the west end.

Only by combining both clues could they deduce the next task.

That was why they had split up.

Now, however, Tang Jing took a detour on her way to the east end of the village.

While the audience was still heatedly debating why Tang Jing was entertaining Sun Sijia, they noticed the scenery behind her looked oddly familiar.

[Why does this setting seem so familiar?]

[The Challenge Pass?]

Some guessed.

The next moment, the cameraman’s shot confirmed it, Tang Jing had indeed arrived at the Challenge Pass.

[Isn’t the east end of the village the other way?]

[What’s Tang Jing doing here?]

[Is she stopping by to earn some extra points before tackling the main mission?]

“Sister Tang, are you here for this challenge?” Sun Sijia paused slightly at the sight of the Challenge Pass props.

Tang Jing caught the subtle hesitation. The corner of her lips curled almost imperceptibly, though her eyes remained cold.

Instead of stepping forward immediately, Tang Jing stopped and turned to her. “Do you want to give it a try?”

Sun Sijia, who had initially been somewhat hesitant, found herself in a dilemma. She had come here to first stabilize Tang Jing and then coax her with sweet words, making it easier to implement what she planned to say next.

“Hmm.” After a brief moment of thought, Sun Sijia nodded firmly.

Tang Jing smiled slightly. “Then I’ll go first as an example.” With that, she stepped forward to take on the challenge.

Sun Sijia’s face brightened with delight. The fact that Tang Jing had smiled meant she wasn’t angry anymore. Watching Tang Jing’s tall and straight figure from behind, a trace of smugness flashed in her eyes.

She hurried after her, feet flying. “Sister Tang, wait for me!”

[???]

[Can someone explain what’s happening here?]

[What exactly is Tang Jing planning?]

[Wasn’t she supposed to do the task with Meng Xue? Meng Xue has already started, and she’s here on a date?]

[I’m out. Tang Jing is officially a love-struck fool.]

[I’ll keep watching. Something feels off like there’s a bigger scheme at play.]

Tang Jing warmed up, signaled to the production team, and then sprinted forward.

Sun Sijia had heard from Luo Dong and the others that Tang Jing made this task look effortless, but she had assumed they were exaggerating.

Now, seeing it in person, she realized they hadn’t overstated it at all, Tang Jing really did seem to fly through the challenge.

For a moment, Sun Sijia’s heart skipped a beat, utterly captivated by Tang Jing’s performance. It wasn’t until Tang Jing struck the gong that she snapped out of it, clapping enthusiastically. “Sister Tang, you’re amazing!”

Tang Jing walked over and said, “Give it a try. It’s easy.”

“Okay.” Tang Jing seemed to radiate brilliance, and Sun Sijia’s gaze at her was filled with newfound admiration.

She mimicked Tang Jing’s warm-up routine, took a couple of deep breaths, steadied herself, and then charged forward.

But after clearing just one obstacle, she got stuck, unable to move forward or retreat.

She turned her head to ask Tang Jing for help, only to see the woman pull out a points card from the machine and walk away without so much as a backward glance.

Walked away?!

Sun Sijia’s face froze in shock.

Catching sight of the camera, she quickly composed herself and called out pitifully, “Sister Tang~”

Tang Jing, however, kept her eyes fixed on the rule sheet Meng Xue had given her, completely ignoring Sun Sijia as she headed toward the eastern end of the village.

[Pfft! HAHAHAHA]

[What kind of legendary move is this? Why is it so hilarious?]

[HAHAHA I knew it! No way would Tang Jing contradict herself like that.]

[This play is next-level 6666.]

[I just called Tang Jing a love-struck fool, but now I realize my perspective was too narrow.]

[This move by Tang Jing is pure genius not only did she ditch the little green tea, but she also scored points in the process.]

[Who cares about the green tea when there are points to be had? Absolute 6666.]

The audience was utterly dazzled by Tang Jing’s maneuver, and the barrage of comments exploded across the screen.

Meanwhile, in another livestream, viewers could see Sun Sijia floundering in the water, utterly drenched and looking as pathetic as could be as the crew helped her ashore.

[Ah! So satisfying!]

If, up until now, Tang Jing’s indifference toward Sun Sijia had given viewers some sense of vindication, it hadn’t been entirely fulfilling.

But this moment? This was pure, unadulterated satisfaction not just vindication, but sheer delight.

And once again, Tang Jing had left them utterly impressed.

Halfway there, Tang Jing suddenly stopped in her tracks as if belatedly realizing something. She turned to look back in the direction of the previous challenge with a thoughtful and puzzled expression. “Did I forget something just now?”

The cameraman’s hand holding the lens froze for a second.

The barrage in the live stream came to a halt.

Tang Jing appeared to ponder for a few seconds before finally saying, “Oh well, it probably wasn’t important anyway.” With that, she continued walking toward the eastern end of the village.

[Hahahaha I’m dying of laughter]

[Actress Tang, could your acting be any faker?]

[Don’t think just because you’re a double-award-winning actress you can fool us like this hahaha]

[This is the Waterloo of Actress Tang’s acting career.]

[Directors, take a good look, Actress Tang’s acting is so terrible, don’t hire her anymore (just kidding)]

The audience’s enthusiasm quickly turned this moment into a trending topic. As more people took notice, the hashtag climbed higher and higher on the hot search list.

#ActressTang’sTerribleActing#

The buzz was so intense that even casual passersby couldn’t resist clicking, let alone Tang Jing’s devoted fans.

Initially, everyone thought it was just haters spreading rumors. They rolled up their sleeves, ready to battle the trolls, only to nearly collapse in laughter after watching the video.

In fact, Tang Jing’s moment attracted many viewers who didn’t usually watch variety shows, seamlessly drawing them into the live stream.

[Coming from Weibo’s hot search.]

[Same, hot search +1]

[+2]

[Hahaha I never knew Actress Tang was this adorable off-camera.]

[Before watching the video, I thought it was another smear campaign against our Tang Tang. After watching hahaha, instant fan.]

[Who knew Actress Tang’s off-screen personality was so different from her runway or interview persona!]

[We’ve got tons of behind-the-scenes content here. Anyone interested? Join the fan group!]

[Any CP fans want to jump in? JingShangNongXue forever!]

[Our Meng Xue is the top, it should be MengLiHuiTang.]

The live stream audience erupted into another round of bickering.

Viewers quickly realized that since the show began, Actress Tang had already contributed several trending topics, catapulting the program into the public eye.

The ratings over the past two days had already matched those of the previous two seasons.

Initially, everyone assumed that with Tang Jing’s notoriously rigid and serious personality, the other guests would feel uncomfortable or even suffocated.

The director had been on edge, worried about triggering audience backlash.

But now, none of his fears had materialized. Instead, Tang Jing’s unexpectedly endearing contrasting charm had won over a massive wave of new fans.

The director was already contemplating whether to raise the offer and make Tang Jing a permanent cast member.

When Tang Jing arrived at Old Man Li’s house in the eastern part of the village, she asked what farm work needed to be done. Upon learning it was soil loosening and planting, she immediately got to work.

The field wasn’t far, so she followed Old Man Li there.

Old Man Li had assumed this delicate-looking city girl wouldn’t be able to handle farm work and had planned to let her off with just a token effort.

But once they were in the field, seeing her flawless posture and powerful hoe strikes, his gaze toward her softened with grandfatherly affection.

“Ah, yes, this soil is perfectly loosened!” Old Man Li stood by the field, praising her intermittently.

The live stream audience was in stitches.

【First there was Meng Xue singing praises, now there’s Old Man Li joining in, our Tangtang is just that outstanding.】

【Old Man Li’s kind smile is practically bursting through the screen.】

【Is this what it means to be so talented that you get praised wherever you go?】

【Sniffles… I thought Tang Yinghou would struggle with farm work, but her technique is even more precise than mine, and I grew up in the countryside!】

【Could this be another skill she picked up while acting in film crews?】

【Now that you mention it, I remember Tangtang starred in a niche movie early in her career where she played a farm girl.】

【Holy crap, did she learn it back then and never forget?】

【Wahhh, what kind of celestial sister is this?!】

An hour later, Tang Jing finally finished hoeing the field as Old Man Li had requested.

At first, Old Man Li stood at the edge of the field, but later he found a shady spot to sit.

Throughout that hour, the cameraman kept his lens focused on Tang Yinghou as she worked diligently in the field, and the live-stream audience watched the entire time.

When they heard the task was completed, everyone was a little dazed.

【Damn, I actually watched for a whole hour.】

【That hour flew by so fast.】

【I just watched Tangtang hoe a field for an hour?!】

The live chat was filled with disbelief.

Tang Jing wiped the sweat from her forehead and accepted the next task hint from Old Man Li.

“Thank you, Old Man Li,” she said.

Old Man Li smiled. “I should be thanking you, young lady. You did a fine job with the field.”

Tang Jing smiled modestly.

Without lingering, she took the hint and headed toward the village center, where the next task awaited.

As she read the hint, the cameraman’s lens happened to capture the paper and her hands.

【Does Tangtang have two big blisters on her palm?】

【Ah, she really does!】

【Tang Yinghou was genuinely working hard just now.】

【The camera was rolling for an hour, no way this is staged.】

【Tang Yinghou is so earnest.】

【Sniffles… That must hurt so much.】

Tang Jing also noticed the blisters on her palm. She frowned slightly but said nothing, simply adjusting her movements to avoid breaking them.

Ying Tianhe, who was also watching the livestream, saw this and immediately exclaimed, “Silly girl, why didn’t she take it easy? Her hands must be in so much pain!” The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached. Protective of her artist, she immediately called the show’s director.

Meanwhile, as Tang Jing reached the village center, Meng Xue happened to arrive from the west side. Spotting her, Meng Xue waved from afar. “Teacher Tang!”

Tang Jing walked toward her.

Meng Xue hurried over, but as she got closer, she tripped on a stone and stumbled forward.

Startled, Tang Jing rushed ahead, arms outstretched, intending to steady Meng Xue by the arms. But the momentum was too strong, and the two ended up in an embrace.

【AHHHHH I’M LOSING IT, I’M LOSING IT!!!】

【If I hadn’t seen Meng Xue actually trip on a rock, I’d think this was on purpose.】

【AHHH MY SHIP IS SERVING SUGAR!!!】

【If you’re not shipping this, you’re defying the heavens.】

【Tang Yinghou just wanted to catch Meng Xue, but her charge was too powerful LOL】

【Both of their expressions are priceless.】

Meng Xue’s face flushed red as she hastily took two steps back, her eyes not daring to meet the person opposite her. She murmured softly, “Thank you, Teacher Tang.”

Tang Jing responded with a faint “Hmm,” though some sharp-eyed viewers still noticed the tips of her ears turning red.

The atmosphere was too awkward, so Tang Jing broke the silence first by pulling out the clue she had gotten from Old Man Li. “What hint did you get?”

Meng Xue’s attention was immediately diverted, and she also took out the slip of paper she had earned through her labor.

They placed the two clues side by side, but just as they were about to read them, they realized how close they were standing. Their thoughts instantly scattered.

Meng Xue instinctively wanted to take a step back, but Tang Jing was already intently studying the paper. “The information here points to Aunt Liu’s house in the center of the village.”

“Then let’s go to Aunt Liu’s place now.” Meng Xue kept telling herself to stay calm. Though she eventually managed to steady her nerves, the blush on her cheeks lingered until they arrived at Aunt Liu’s house, where she finally fully composed herself.

Aunt Liu understood their purpose right away and said, “Then why don’t you two come with me to the mountains to pick some mushrooms and wood ears?”

“Sure, Aunt Liu.”

The area was surrounded by many mountains not just the tall one Tang Jing and the others had climbed the day before, but also smaller hills near the village. These hills weren’t very high and were planted with many fruit trees and other types of foliage.

Tang Jing and Meng Xue each carried a small basket as they followed Aunt Liu.

As they walked, Aunt Liu pointed out which mushrooms were edible and which were not.

Viewers in the livestream were thrilled, exclaiming how much they were learning.

[First time realizing this variety show has such meaningful content, teaching things you wouldn’t normally learn.]

[I usually don’t like variety shows, but because of Tang Jing, this is the first time I’ve found one so engaging.]

[You can tell this show is completely unscripted. Tang Jing’s skills aren’t something you can fake, they’re the real deal.]

[And it’s a livestream! Other than when she’s sleeping, we get to see every move she makes.]

[There’s no way to fake this. Even if there were a script, Tang Jing wouldn’t have time to read it.]

Thanks to the show’s authenticity, more and more viewers flooded into the livestream, some drawn by Tang Jing’s presence, others by the show itself.

But one thing was certain: everyone who tuned in ended up charmed by Tang Jing’s personality. Some viewers, influenced by the subtle hints from CP fans, unknowingly joined the ranks of shippers.

Whether it was “Jing Over Snow” or “Meng’s Return to Tang,” these two major CP banners soared high, and the number of fans in the Weibo super topics skyrocketed.

“Your hand is hurt?” Meng Xue only now noticed the two large blisters on Tang Jing’s hand.

Tang Jing had kept her hands lowered the whole time, and when she had pulled out the clue earlier, Meng Xue had been too flustered to notice.

But now, as they picked mushrooms, she finally saw them and anxiously grabbed Tang Jing’s hand.

Tang Jing watched her. From this angle, she could see Meng Xue’s long, upturned lashes, her delicate and straight nose, and her lips pressed tightly together in worry.

When Meng Xue looked up, she was met with Tang Jing’s deep, penetrating gaze.