The Ex-Wife of the Scumbag A Who Abandoned the Female Lead - Chapter 35

“Once the rankings are finalized and rooms are selected, everyone can rest!” The host had already received updates from all eight filming crews and compiled the results. “Without further ado, let’s reveal the first-place winners! The top spot goes to the couple pair of Actress Ru and Shi Nuocen, they completed eight checkpoints with 50 yuan remaining! Congratulations! They earn the first pick of accommodations!”

After discussing it, Shi Nuocen and Ru Xi Cheng chose the treehouse over both the fairytale cottage and the hotel suite.

This decision came as a surprise. Shi Nuocen explained, “We’ve stayed in both of the other types before, but the treehouse looks novel and beautiful.”

[She’s stayed in a fairytale cottage? Seems like Cen’s family must be pretty well-off!]

[Maybe it was her sugar daddy who took her! Didn’t online rumors say she has powerful connections?]

[What sugar daddy? What if her own father is just rich?]

Unaware of these online debates, Shi Nuocen lay in the treehouse, surrounded by the forest, listening to the sounds of nature. It was truly refreshing.

Early the next morning, she and Ru Xi Cheng returned to the Ru family home. The dating show had a three-day break, and after that, the edited footage of the guests’ activities would be released online.

Shi Nuocen only spent one day with An’an at the Ru residence before the highly anticipated girl group variety show began! It followed the same format, with live broadcasts followed by edited releases.

The stage design for the girl group show was dazzling and magnificent.

When Shi Nuocen arrived at the venue, many people recognized her and exclaimed in surprise, “I remember you! Aren’t you the one paired with Actress Ru in the dating show? I’ve been following the livestream. What happened when you two suddenly sank in the lake?”

“Nothing much, just a leg cramp,” Shi Nuocen replied calmly with a smile. There was no way she could tell the truth; if she mentioned being kissed by Actress Ru underwater, the place would probably explode.

“And during the crossover segment, did you and Actor Zong plan to snatch the bride together?”

“Yes, we did.”

“And also, also…”

Shi Nuocen maintained a smile throughout, but inwardly, she hoped it would end soon. If they asked any trickier questions, she was afraid she might slip up.

Soon, the host’s loud announcement came to her rescue: “Are all the contestants here? Let’s step into the dream stage now!”

As soon as the words were spoken, the door to the main stage clicked open before everyone’s eyes!

“Oh my god! It’s a crystal staircase!” the contestants exclaimed in unison.

Before them stretched twenty-four crystal steps, and atop the high platform sat seats resembling crowns.

Just as everyone marveled at the sight, the host feigned surprise and asked, “What are you waiting for? If you’re late, someone else might take your spot!”

Realizing this, many of the girl group contestants rushed up the stairs in a frenzy. One shouted excitedly while charging ahead, “The No. 1 seat is mine! Don’t anyone try to take it from me!”

The narrow staircase, which could only accommodate a few people at a time, was suddenly flooded by over a hundred beauties. The scene was truly overwhelming.

Shi Nuocen ambled along slowly at the back, almost as if she were taking a leisurely stroll.

Zhao Zhao, standing nearby, noticed and asked curiously, “Aren’t you worried at all? If you can secure a good spot, it would be like a great start, right? Your confidence would get a boost too!”

Shi Nuocen, however, glanced at her and retorted, “What about you? You don’t seem anxious either.”

Zhao Zhao opened her mouth, hesitated for a moment, then sheepishly touched the ends of her hair. “Me? It’s because someone promised to save a spot for me.”

Shi Nuocen: “…”

Is this what it means to be the original female lead?

Zhao Zhao suddenly remembered something and asked again, “You always seem to be on your own. Do you not have any acquaintances here? I mean, people from the same company.”

“I do,” Shi Nuocen replied, stepping onto the first crystal step before turning back with a smile. “But for various reasons, I can’t get too close to them openly. It might affect them.”

Hearing this, Zhao Zhao suddenly understood. “So, you’ve offended someone, and that person has quite a bit of influence. That’s rough.”

She wanted to ask more, but someone called out to her from ahead, so she had to drop it.

By then, most of the girl group contestants had already rushed up the steps and gathered around the seating area. The few who, like Shi Nuocen, remained unhurried, stood out even more.

[Hey, isn’t that the girl from Heartbeat?]

[I spotted Cen! I just remembered this show also has Actress Ru! A second collaboration!]

[It should be the third! Did you forget they worked together on a movie before?]

[Why is she always wherever Actress Ru is? If that’s not calculated promotion, what is?]

When Shi Nuocen reached the crown-shaped seating area, she noticed that the top seven spots, reserved for the final lineup, were all at the highest level. Many contestants were fiercely competing for those positions. Some offering impromptu songs, with the highest pitch winning a spot, or performing dance moves, with the most difficult routine securing a seat.

It was both healthy competition and a struggle for more screen time.

Shi Nuocen scanned the 100 seats. The smaller, luckier numbers like 18 and 16 were already taken, but the larger, auspicious numbers like 88 and 66 were still empty. Without hesitation, she headed straight for seat 66 and sat down.

While others continued their battles for seats, she pulled out her phone to pass the time, casually browsing through content. Unnoticed, a cameraman quietly approached her, and the next moment, her phone screen was projected onto the large display.

The moment the audience, both online and on-site saw it, they were stunned!

On the screen was a chibi-style comic depicting Demon Cen and Saint Orange in their kindergarten days. Two adorable little girls were holding hands and walking together when suddenly Demon Cen stumbled, her beautiful eyes welling up with tears. Saint Orange quickly reached into her oversized pocket, pulled out a milk candy, and handed it over with a sweet, curved smile.

[So heartwarming! Super cute!]

[I really want to see the next page!]

Just as Shi Nuocen was admiring Saint Orange’s smiling, chubby-cheeked face, someone gently tapped her shoulder. She turned and found herself face-to-face with the dark lens of a camera.

Shi Nuocen: “…”

The cameraman, holding the equipment on his shoulder, urged, “The audience wants to see more. Go on, flip to the next page!”

She turned her head in astonishment to look at the large screen, and sure enough! Her phone screen was displayed right there.

So, even reading fanfiction now gets broadcast live?

The other contestants, seeing this, were equally frustrated. They had pulled out all the stops just to secure a seat and managed to snag only a couple of camera shots. Meanwhile, Shi Nuocen? She was just sitting there scrolling through her phone, yet the camera had been focused on her for who knows how long.

And so, under the eager gazes of the audience and the cameraman, she had no choice but to become an emotionless page-turning machine.

Fifteen minutes later, the production team reminded the contestants to quickly take their seats. Once all one hundred were in place, the host announced in a clear voice, “The talent short videos submitted by each contestant have already been reviewed by our mentors. They have conducted preliminary evaluations and assigned classes accordingly. From highest to lowest, the classes are A, B, C, D, E, and F. Classes A through E each have 16 members, while Class F has 20.”

At this point, one contestant anxiously raised her hand and asked, “But I wasn’t feeling well the day I filmed my short video. Could I have another chance?”

“Another chance? Of course!” The host gestured for her to calm down. “But first, let’s welcome our six mentors! They are top-tier actress Ru Xi Cheng, award-winning singer Yun Shu, dance champion Chu Ran…”

After introducing all six mentors. Each a well-known and highly accomplished figure in the entertainment industry. The audience and contestants erupted in applause, their hands red from clapping, and rose to their feet to welcome the six.

Her ex-wife was wearing a minimalist-style long dress today, her smile faint and reserved, clearly fitting the aloof and sharp mentor archetype. Shi Nuocen glanced at her a few times, admiring her presence but also feeling a twinge of melancholy.

“Earlier, a contestant asked if there was a chance for reevaluation and regrouping. Well, I’m here to tell you that the opportunity has arrived! Now, it’s up to you to use your performances to change the mentors’ initial assessments and improve your rankings!”

Hearing this, the one hundred contestants exchanged glances, tension palpable in the air. Some clenched their fists so tightly their knuckles turned white.

“Time is limited, and with so many contestants, not everyone will get to perform on stage. Instead, those who want this opportunity will take the stage in order within the allotted time,” the host continued, raising his voice once more. “But let me remind you all, your rank could go up but it could also go down!”

The mention that their rankings might drop caused many contestants to waver for a moment.

However, with so many participants and a fixed amount of screen time, if they didn’t seize this chance, their initial stage performance would leave no impression on the audience. With that thought, their resolve gradually strengthened.

“Let’s take a look at the initial evaluation results for each contestant!”

As soon as the host finished speaking, the large screen displayed each contestant’s name, score, and class assignment. At the same time, their phones received a detailed score sheet with anonymous mentor evaluations.

Shi Nuocen: Average Score 72, Class E.

After seeing her initial evaluation results, Shi Nuocen felt something was off. Especially after noticing each mentor’s scores, she raised an eyebrow in confusion. One mentor had given an unusually low score while all others rated her above 85, this person alone failed her, dragging down the overall average.

Could it be her ex-wife’s doing? She recalled the day they filmed the girl group short video. Her ex-wife had been in a terrible mood, there was a misunderstanding between them, and the housekeeper mentioned her ex-wife had gone out that day only to return heavily drunk.

Alternatively, it could be a mentor bribed by Brother Yu. Though she wasn’t sure if such a person truly existed, several guys in the company had indeed suggested it.

Shi Nuocen couldn’t help but glance toward her ex-wife seated among the mentors. Though the woman wore a smile, Shi Nuocen sensed her mood wasn’t exactly cheerful.

Ru Xi Cheng’s mood was indeed foul. She had thought that after Shi Nuocen asked that question in the game and she suggested “confessing to the other person,” coupled with all the hints and signals she’d given during the reality show recording, Shi Nuocen would have confessed by now given her personality. Yet, nothing had happened.

Feeling anxious, Ru Xi Cheng secretly wondered if she had misunderstood. What if the person Shi Nuocen liked wasn’t her at all?

The thought made Ru Xi Cheng’s mood grow even gloomier, but remembering they were filming a variety show, she quickly adjusted her expression.

The girl group contestants eagerly took the stage to perform, hoping for higher scores. Shi Nuocen had prepared a classical-style song paired with a traditional dance, aiming to at least make it into Class B.

When it was Shi Nuocen’s turn, accompanied by simple music, she began to sing. Her voice was ethereal and melodious, especially during the poignant spoken lines. Combined with the flick of her water sleeves and the twirl of her figure, it was as if a lovesick woman waiting for her beloved had truly appeared before the audience.

The viewers were completely immersed in the atmosphere and imagery, with some who had experienced rocky relationships bursting into tears on the spot.

As the woman in the flowing water-sleeved dress bowed to conclude her performance, thunderous applause filled the venue.

This time, Shi Nuocen had performed exceptionally well, and her heart leaped with joy. She thought she might even make it into Class A!

Like the audience, Ru Xi Cheng felt as if she had been transported into the scene. However, the song and dance stirred up her recent worries, and when it came time to give feedback, she couldn’t help but let her emotions show: “This contestant has a great voice, but a few lines were slightly off-key just before the climax, which is a bit of a pity.”

Since the most prominent mentor had pointed this out, the other mentors also highlighted the pitch issue.

What might have been a minor flaw overshadowed by excellence was now magnified into an unbearable defect after the mentors’ comments.