The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 9

 

Ten points credited, and right next to them was the small supermarket set up by the production team.

The two of them walked in without hesitation. They still didn’t know the prices, so they needed to check first to get a sense of things.

“One egg for one point.”

“One steak for ten points.”

After browsing, they found some prices acceptable while others were ridiculously expensive.

Meng Xue held a durian and said, “There must be higher-point tasks in the village.”

Tang Jing had been standing in front of a bulletin board reading the activity rules. When she noticed Meng Xue lingering around the durian section for a while, she knew the other girl wanted it. She walked over, glanced at the price, 200 points.

If they relied solely on the daily chicken-feeding task, it would take twenty days to afford it.

Tang Jing said, “Let’s go check out other places and see what tasks we can take.”

Just as they stepped out of the supermarket, they ran into Luo Dong and Jian Anping. The two boys were wearing straw hats and carrying farming tools.

Meng Xue eyed their outfits and guessed, “Are you guys farming?”

“Yeah,” Luo Dong replied. “There’s a task field not far from our yard. Taking care of it daily earns us corresponding points.”

At the mention of the task field, Meng Xue and Tang Jing suddenly thought of something. They exchanged a glance, quickly ended the conversation with Luo Dong and Jian Anping, and hurried back to their own courtyard.

[HAHAHAHA, did they just remember the little vegetable plot in their backyard now?]

[Damn, I just came from the other livestream Sun Sijia and her partner have already claimed that plot.]

[Huh? Weren’t they just looking at the chicks earlier?]

Viewers in Sun Sijia’s livestream, who had been waiting for drama, witnessed the entire sequence.

After Tang Jing and Meng Xue left, Sun Sijia and Tian Qi didn’t linger either.

Since the chickens had already been fed, they wouldn’t earn points by feeding them again, so they had to look elsewhere.

While searching, they happened to run into Luo Dong and Jian Anping working in the fields. Learning that task fields also earned points, they immediately thought of the small vegetable plot behind Tang Jing and Meng Xue’s house.

But Tian Qi felt awkward about taking over the plot since it was connected to Tang Jing and Meng Xue’s yard. She suggested looking for another spot instead.

Sun Sijia, however, insisted on going there.

She had been trying to figure out how to legitimately approach her senior. Now that this opportunity had presented itself, how could she let it slip?

Sun Sijia and Tian Qi disagreed. Though they shared a room, some tasks could be done separately, so Tian Qi simply went her own way.

This was a live broadcast, after all. If she had followed Sun Sijia, she would’ve been torn apart by netizens by now.

As Tian Qi had anticipated, viewers didn’t criticize her for refusing to go to the plot instead, they praised her.

In contrast, Sun Sijia was called out by viewers as the “little green tea” scheming again. Though who she was scheming against wasn’t entirely clear yet.

In just one day, everyone could see Sun Sijia trying to win favor from both Tang Jing, the film queen, and her senior Meng Xue playing both sides in a rather ungraceful manner.

While Tang Jing and the others were checking out the prices at the small supermarket, Sun Sijia had already arrived at the backyard of their cottage. The vegetable plot was actually quite large, with several rows, and the melons and fruits had already begun to bear.

Sun Sijia’s initially cheerful expression faltered when she saw that renting this plot required fifty points.

Blinking in confusion since she currently had zero points, she turned to the camera and asked, “Can I get it on credit?”

However, the director outright refused. If they allowed this precedent, the other two teams would follow suit, and the scenes the director wanted to capture would be lost.

Only by creating challenges and leaving these celebrities flustered would the show become engaging something the audience would love to watch.

When Tang Jing and Meng Xue returned to their cottage, they spotted someone in the vegetable plot from afar. Exchanging a glance, they quickly approached.

“Junior?” Meng Xue was slightly taken aback, wondering if this task plot had already been claimed by her junior. But as she stepped forward and saw the sign in the plot, her eyes lit up before she hesitated and turned to Sun Sijia. “Junior, are you planning to buy this plot?”

Facing Meng Xue, Sun Sijia felt shy after all, this was someone she had admired for five years. She could tell her senior also wanted the plot and was about to give it up, but if she did, she wouldn’t have an excuse to visit her senior later.

“I want to buy it,” Meng Xue said, “but I don’t have any points yet. I was thinking of earning some first.”

The director chimed in at the perfect moment, “The purchase deadline is before 6 PM. Whoever earns the points first can buy it.”

Sun Sijia glanced at her senior before shifting her gaze to Tang Jing, her expression turning pitiful once again.

Tang Jing, however, was busy studying the vegetables in the plot with downcast eyes.

The live audience burst into laughter.

[Tang Jing isn’t even looking at you, little green tea, tone it down.]

[Sun Sijia’s fake pitiful face is just hilarious now.]

[Tang Jing: These vegetables look great!]

Seeing that Tang Jing wasn’t paying her any attention, Sun Sijia gritted her teeth inwardly, thinking how petty the other woman was. Just because she’d been rejected, she was now giving her the cold shoulder, proof she hadn’t really liked her in the first place.

If Tang Jing had truly loved her, she would’ve kept pursuing her even after being rejected. Otherwise, how could she prove her sincerity?

But alas, Tang Jing’s status in the industry was higher than hers, so Sun Sijia had no choice but to swallow her pride and approach her. “Sister Tang.”

Tang Jing finally looked up from the vegetables, her gaze landing on Sun Sijia. Her expression was cold, devoid of its usual gentleness, which only reinforced Sun Sijia’s belief that her feelings had never been genuine. Otherwise, why would she treat her so frostily?

But she had an important favor to ask. Biting her lower lip hesitantly, she finally blurted out, “Sister Tang, do you have any extra points? I’d like to borrow some.” Her voice grew quieter toward the end.

In the past, she had grown accustomed to Tang Jing handing her good resources, expensive accessories, evening gowns for events, all borrowed or given without her having to ask.

This was the first time she had ever initiated a request, and not even as a demand but as a loan. Even so, it felt humiliating and unbearable.

Tang Jing looked at her and said, “I only have ten points.”

She didn’t offer a way out for the other person like lending all of it or outright giving it away.

The system wanted to judge her for being OOC (Out of Character), but it found she had once again exploited a loophole. She had told Sun Sijia that she had ten points, which, given the original character’s personality, wasn’t wrong. As for whether she would give them or not, that wasn’t within the scope of judgment.

Sun Sijia was left hanging, resentment bubbling up inside her. She silently complained about why the other person wouldn’t just hand over those ten points willingly, while also mocking her internally, how could she only have ten points?

She completely forgot that among the people she was mocking was her own senior.

“Then…” Sun Sijia stammered, trying to drop a hint.

At that moment, Meng Xue turned to the director and asked, “Can we buy vegetables from the field with points? Instead of selling the land, let’s just buy the vegetables first.”

And just like that, Sun Sijia’s hint was exposed. She glanced at Tang Jing, her eyes filled with a mix of petty resentment and grievance. In those brief two minutes, she had suffered immensely.

[Amazing, absolutely amazing!]

[Hahahaha, the way Sun Sijia’s expression changed, oh my god, I can’t help but applaud her.]

[Wait, judging by her reaction, has Tang Jing been handing everything to her on a silver platter for the past few years?]

[Just look at how she asked Tang Jing to borrow points earlier, you can tell it’s always been Tang Jing who initiated things.]

[And she actually thinks this behavior humiliates her? Did you see the way she looked at Tang Jing? Tsk tsk tsk, what an eye-opener.]

[Does she think she’s some kind of young mistress, expecting Tang Jing to hand over everything she needs without even asking?]

[Damn, who does she think she is?!]

After Meng Xue finished negotiating with the director, she turned around and noticed her junior’s expression was off. “Junior, you don’t look too good. Are you feeling unwell?”

Sun Sijia forced a stiff smile. “No, senior, I’m just feeling a bit hot.”

“Oh, then go find some shade to cool down.”

[Hahahaha, Meng Xue is too adorable.]

[She’s not hot at all, she’s just pissed she didn’t get what she wanted from Tang Jing.]

[For a moment, Meng Xue seems a bit clueless.]

[But the timing of her question earlier was just perfect.]

Tang Jing glanced subtly at Meng Xue, a faint trace of amusement flashing in her eyes. If she hadn’t known this person was actually Shi Qianbei, she might have thought everything just now was a coincidence.

But now that she knew this was Shi Qianbei in disguise, she understood, it had all been deliberate. After saying what she did, Meng Xue had even turned around to “comfort” Sun Sijia, which was like twisting the knife in her heart.

Though she hadn’t interacted much with Shi Qianbei, Tang Jing had watched her world-conquering strategy videos and could tell that Shi Qianbei had a mischievous streak.

After “comforting” Sun Sijia, Meng Xue walked over to Tang Jing. “It’s already noon. Let’s buy some vegetables and eat first. We can look for tasks after lunch.”

Tang Jing nodded in agreement. “Let’s check what’s in the kitchen first.”

The kitchen was stocked with seasonings, but the production team had labeled everything each use of any seasoning would cost one point.

Meng Xue was stunned by the shamelessness of this rule. “One point per use for every seasoning?” That was way too expensive.

The director clarified, “No, one point covers all seasonings for the day. But only for today.”

On the first day, everyone had limited points. If things were too expensive, no one would be able to afford them, and they’d genuinely go hungry.

No matter how much the production team liked to set traps, they wouldn’t be that ruthless.

After hearing the director’s explanation, Meng Xue sighed in relief and nodded. “That’s not too bad.”

The vegetables in the garden cost one point per variety, which was quite generous to them.

“Teacher Tang, what would you like to eat?” Meng Xue looked at the vegetables in the garden before turning to ask the person beside her.

Sun Sijia had already left, it was noon, and they needed to return to their own place to cook. No matter how shameless she was, she wouldn’t barge in for a meal at this point.

“Something light is fine,” Tang Jing replied, squatting down and pointing at a kabocha squash. “How about this? We can use it as a staple.”

“Sure.”

Celebrities had to watch their figures, they couldn’t eat too much or too greasy.

Tang Jing and Meng Xue didn’t pretend to have a “never gain weight” persona either. They ate as they normally would, so the two of them picked up several kabocha squashes.

Though their appetites were such that they could only finish one squash between them, the director had said that on the first day, each variety cost only one point. It’d be a waste not to take advantage of such a bargain.

As for buying land, the two of them were prepared for Sun Sijia’s team to snatch it up first. They neither fought nor rushed, sticking entirely to their own pace.

After picking up some other fruits and vegetables, they were left with only three points, all of which Meng Xue held onto.

“You keep them,” Tang Jing said. “I’ll handle earning points.”

Meng Xue smiled. “We’ll earn them together.”

[Oh my god, why does this feel so sweet to me?]

[Handing all the money to the wife to manage while she focuses on earning, Tang Jing is so smooth.]

[Hey, don’t ship them randomly. Tang Jing’s wife is obviously our Sun Sijia.]

[Pfft, do you even believe what you’re saying?]

[But you shouldn’t force a ship either. That was just a normal thing to say.]

[We’re just having fun in the comments. It’s not like we’re shoving it in their faces, why are you so bothered?]

Just because of Tang Jing’s one remark, the live chat erupted into arguments something the director had never anticipated.

Truly, with Tang Jing’s star power, wherever she went became a topic of discussion.

For lunch, the two steamed the kabocha squash, stir-fried some green beans, and made a bowl of winter melon soup.

They only used a small portion of the huge winter melon.

While eating, Meng Xue said, “Teacher Tang, our winter melon is too big. Let’s share some with the others later.”

Tang Jing nodded. “Sure.”

After all, the weather was quite hot, and the melon would spoil if left too long.

After the meal, instead of rushing off to complete tasks, they returned to their room for a half-hour nap.

[So real. This is so real. I’m going for a nap too.]

[I ate the same three dishes as Tang Jing and Meng Xue for lunch. Now I’m off to nap, trying to keep up with the stars’ routines to stay in shape.]

[I also had those three dishes. Figured that over three months, I’d definitely lose some weight not that I expect to get as slim as them.]

[I’ll check out the other livestreams. See you all in half an hour, sisters.]

There were cameras in the bedroom, but during their nap, Tang Jing and Meng Xue covered them with cloth. The livestream screen went dark, with a few lines of text added by the production team’s editor:

Currently napping…

Half an hour later, the previously quiet livestream suddenly burst into life. At the same time, Tang Jing and Meng Xue removed the cloth covering the camera, brightening the scene.

【Ahhhh, I missed them so much even though it’s only been half an hour!】

【Even though Tang Yinghou barely talks, I just love watching their interactions, every gesture between them is pure beauty.】

【Hugs and cuddles!】

The barrage of comments kept rolling, clearly showing the audience’s excitement.

Tang Jing poured herself a cup of cold boiled water. After finishing it, she sat under the large banyan tree in the yard to clear her mind.

Meng Xue, meanwhile, carried a small bag with a water bottle inside, filled with cold boiled water.

If they wanted mineral water, they’d have to spend points to buy it, so cold boiled water was the more practical choice.

【Ah, so relatable!】

【I love watching these down-to-earth moments. I can’t stand those pretentious types who claim they can only drink mineral water and nothing else.】

“Teacher Tang, did you bring a thermos? Let me fill one for you too.”

After all, the sun was scorching outside, and they had no idea what tasks awaited them in the afternoon. If they got thirsty later, they’d either have to come back for water or spend points at the supermarket for mineral water neither option was ideal.

“It’s on the table in my room,” Tang Jing replied without turning her head.

“Got it.” Meng Xue immediately headed to her room.

The audience was divided at this point.

Some thought Tang Jing was being bossy, why couldn’t she do it herself when she was perfectly capable?

Others felt those critics were being overly sensitive, especially since Meng Xue herself didn’t seem to mind.

Meng Xue packed both thermoses into her bag before coming back out. “Teacher Tang, let’s go.”

“Alright.” Tang Jing stood up from the rocking chair and walked toward her.

Just as Meng Xue was about to step outside, Tang Jing took the small bag from her hand and said, “I’ll carry it.”

Meng Xue tried to take it back, but Tang Jing had already strode ahead with her long legs. Smiling helplessly, Meng Xue followed and said, “Then hand it to me if you get tired later.”

【How’s that for the people who accused Tang Yinghou of bossing her around? Face stinging yet?】

【Why so quiet now? There’s clearly nothing wrong between them, you’re the ones making a fuss over nothing.】

【Ugh, I’m just here for the sweetness, it’s too adorable!】

Tang Jing was tall, standing half a head above Meng Xue. Dressed in casual wear and a baseball cap, she cut a striking figure against the rural backdrop, looking like she was shooting for a fashion magazine.

Behind her, Meng Xue wore a white sundress and a matching baseball cap. The breeze ruffled her hair and lifted the hem of her dress.

Together, they added a touch of brilliance to the countryside path.

“Teacher Tang, there’s a mission board over there!” Meng Xue pointed excitedly toward the foot of a nearby hill and hurried to catch up with Tang Jing. “Since the board’s at the base, the mission must be up the mountain.”

“Let’s check it out.” Tang Jing walked carefully, mindful of the uneven terrain.

Despite trying to walk slowly, Meng Xue stumbled over a loose stone.

“Careful!” Tang Jing quickly turned and grabbed her arm, steadying her before letting go.

【Tang Yinghou’s reflexes are so sharp!】

【I bet she’s been keeping an eye on Meng Xue the whole time.】

[After savoring it carefully, it feels even more delightful. Someone appears cold on the surface but has been secretly paying attention to their wife. Can anyone relate? This is just too sweet.]

“Thank you, Teacher Tang.” Meng Xue’s face flushed slightly, never expecting she could trip just from walking.

“The path here is a bit rough.” Tang Jing said, glancing at her before extending her hand. “Let me hold your hand.”

The woman’s fingers were long, anyone with a hand fetish would undoubtedly fall in love at the sight of them.

Even Meng Xue, who didn’t have such a preference, couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances before shyly placing her hand in Tang Jing’s, murmuring softly, “Thank you, Teacher Tang.”

[Ship them, ship them hard!]

[If you’re not shipping this, it’s practically a crime against nature.]

[Ahhh Meng Xue is blushing, she must be flustered by Tang Jing!]

[Tang Jing is so stunning, especially with those mesmerizing eyes. Who wouldn’t be captivated?]

[Sun Sijia isn’t.]

[Hahahaha because she’s blind.]

Teacher Tang’s palm was warm, firmly enveloping her hand. Meng Xue kept sneaking glances downward, her heart pounding wildly.

“We’re here.”

The deep voice snapped Meng Xue out of her thoughts. She looked up and realized they had somehow already reached the foot of the mountain, now standing before a mission board.

Remembering how dazed she’d been the entire walk, Meng Xue felt a pang of guilt and avoided looking at Teacher Tang, pretending to focus on the mission board instead.

There were three tasks listed, all of which could technically be completed together. The points for each were substantial, totaling 200.

Meng Xue’s eyes lit up. When she turned to Teacher Tang, she suddenly realized their hands were still intertwined. She twitched her fingers slightly, and Tang Jing seemed to notice too, letting go.

“Teacher Tang, let’s take on these missions,” Meng Xue said, quickly refocusing on the board.

The three tasks were: climb to the mountain peak, watch the sunrise, and spend a day at the summit.

Meng Xue strongly suspected the program team had gone easy on them.

Tang Jing, however, disagreed. “If we stay up there for a day, we’ll miss out on other mission boards. There might be ones with even higher points.”

Meng Xue frowned, torn over what to choose.

Tang Jing had only said that to tease her. Now, seeing her so conflicted, she coughed lightly into her fist.

Meng Xue looked over and caught the faint smile on her lips, making her both amused and exasperated. “Teacher Tang.”

Her voice was helpless, laced with an unconscious hint of coquettishness.

[Ahhhh Tang Jing actually smiled! Was she teasing Meng Xue just now?]

[Meng Xue’s voice was so soft when she called her ‘Teacher Tang.’]

[Who knew Tang Jing could be such a tease? It’s kind of adorable.]

Tang Jing stopped teasing her and pointed to one of the tasks. “If we’re going to stay for a day, we’ll need to prepare water and food. Right now, three points probably aren’t enough.”

“Let’s go find another mission then,” Meng Xue said decisively.

On their way back, they ran into Tian Qi.

“Teacher Tang, Teacher Meng,” Tian Qi greeted them.

Meng Xue glanced around and asked, “Where’s Sun Sijia?”

Tian Qi smiled. “Let’s split up and go our separate ways.” Truth be told, she didn’t want to team up with Sun Sijia.

The lunch dishes were all obtained through her own efforts she had completed tasks to get the ingredients and cooked the meal herself. Sun Sijia had contributed nothing, yet she kept nitpicking about the food and didn’t even bother to wash the dishes afterward.

As a veteran guest on the show, Sun should have known that cooking and cleaning were responsibilities they had to handle themselves. But she acted as if it was only natural for others to do everything for her.

So, Tian Qi made up her mind from now on, they would each cook their own meals.

At that time, Sun Sijia had even given her a dirty look, but Tian Qi pretended not to notice. Arguing with someone like that was simply a thankless task.

The viewers in Tian Qi’s livestream felt sorry for their idol and cursed Sun Sijia for being unreasonable.

Now, after seeing Tang Jing, they all commented on how patient the actress was someone who could tolerate a person like Sun Sijia for five years and still want to be with her.

However, what they didn’t know was that Tang Jing spent most of her time away filming, and she had only met Sun Sijia twice in a year, each time just for a meal. Even their occasional phone calls were only about work-related matters.

So, saying she was patient with Sun Sijia wasn’t entirely accurate because she barely knew her at all.

“I have a task here that requires multiple people to complete. Teacher Tang, Teacher Meng, are you in?”

“I’m in.” Meng Xue agreed without even asking what it was.

Tang Jing also nodded slightly in agreement.

On the way, Tian Qi explained to the two of them, “It’s a jump rope game. Two people hold the rope, one person jumps, and all three take turns jumping. Each person gets twenty points.”

“That much?” Meng Xue was surprised. They hadn’t even earned that many points for cleaning the chicken coop.

Tian Qi glanced at Tang Jing, hesitating to speak.

Meng Xue noticed and finally caught on, stifling a laugh. However, her amusement was too obvious to ignore.

Seeing her laugh, Tian Qi couldn’t help but chuckle too. The two exchanged a look and burst out laughing.

[I didn’t get what they were laughing about at first, but the way Tian Qi looked at Tang Jing made me understand instantly.]

[So… is Tang Jing going to jump rope?]

[Hahahaha, this is a scene I can’t even imagine.]

Tang Jing gave off a very rigid and serious vibe, making it hard for anyone to picture her jumping rope. The thought of her doing it with that same stern expression created such a contrast that the livestream audience was already laughing before she even started.

When they arrived at the jump rope area, the production team had already prepared the props. Tian Qi asked, “Who wants to go first?” She avoided looking at Tang Jing, afraid she might get “eliminated” on the spot.

Meng Xue said, “Tian Qi, why don’t you go first? It’s been years since I last jumped, and I’ve kind of forgotten. We can learn from you.”

“Sure,” Tian Qi agreed readily.