The Ex-Wife of the Scumbag A Who Abandoned the Female Lead - Chapter 39

Seeing her fully immersed in the task, Shi Nuocen couldn’t help but curl his lips into a triumphant smile.

“Hello everyone, we meet again,” the host said brightly, stepping onto the stage with a light gait.

The eight couples clapped half-heartedly, their applause sparse and noticeably perfunctory.

The host was momentarily taken aback, scratching the back of his head in confusion. “Huh? It seems like everyone isn’t too happy to see me?”

One guest shot him a dissatisfied look, patting his chest as if still recovering from a scare. “After the last time in the haunted house, I’ve learned my lesson about this show’s antics!”

“Don’t you have any sense when planning these activities?” another guest chimed in loudly.

“Alright then…” The host finally understood. He was bearing the brunt of their lingering resentment.

“And,” the guests added, “today’s activity doesn’t seem like it’ll be easy either!”

Hearing this, the host quickly perked up. “It seems some of you have already guessed what today’s activity entails.”

Shi Nuocen pulled up the notification sent by the production team on his phone. “You reminded us to bring cooling oil and mosquito repellent, so it must be something like an outdoor excursion, right?”

“Or maybe a farm experience?” added the renowned actor Zong.

“Hmm…” The host pretended to ponder before revealing the answer. “Actually, today’s activity is all about experiencing rural life. We believe that through nature and labor, the bonds between couples will grow stronger.”

Well-versed in the show’s tricks, Shi Nuocen pressed further, “So, what are the specific rules? You’re not going to let us coast through the day, are you?”

The host chuckled awkwardly. “Since you asked, I’ll cut to the chase. Experiencing rural life means taking part in various labor tasks, such as feeding chickens, feeding ducks, chopping firewood, and so on. We’ll use a points system. Each completed task earns you a certain number of points, and the final ranking will be determined by your total score. This ranking will determine your priority in choosing the location for the next activity.”

“Where are we staying today?” Zong asked, more concerned about this detail.

“All eight couples will be staying with local villagers. Rest assured, we’ve made all the arrangements. Now, let’s set off, everyone!”

On the bus heading to their destination, Shi Nuocen glanced at the points table: feeding 50 chickens earned 1 point, catching 100 jin of fish earned 5 points, chopping 5 bundles of firewood earned 3 points. In short, more complex tasks yielded higher points, while simpler ones offered fewer.

Neither Shi Nuocen nor Ru Xi Cheng were afraid of hard work. Without much hesitation, they decided to start with the task offering the highest points. The two changed into fishing gear, boarded a wooden boat with the villagers, and mimicked the locals by casting a large net into the water.

When the first net was hauled up, it was brimming with fish at least several dozen jin. Just as Shi Nuocen was marveling at their luck, a sharp-eyed villager spotted something and exclaimed, about to say he’d never seen such a large fish in his life.

In the next moment, the massive fish suddenly leaped up, its tail flicking sharply as it threatened to jump out of the net and back into the water. The villager watched helplessly, frustration written all over his face.

“I’ve got this!” Shi Nuocen shouted, diving into the water toward the fish without a second thought.

Ru Xi Cheng was startled by her swift movements and quickly moved to the edge of the boat, her eyes fixed intently on Shi Nuocen, fearing she might encounter any mishap.

In a flash, Shi Nuocen deftly caught the large fish, mustering all her strength to toss it back into the net.

The villagers who witnessed this scene all raised their thumbs in approval, applauding and cheering for her!

Upon closer inspection, the fish was truly enormous; nearly half a person’s height.

Shi Nuocen took a photo with it, which Ru Xi Cheng captured.

After finishing the fishing task, the two went to gather firewood. The mountain path was treacherous, with uneven terrain and the narrowest sections only as wide as a hand. At times, they encountered depressions between two earthen slopes. When they reached the roughest part of the trail, both stumbled slightly, and a moment of carelessness could easily lead to a twisted ankle.

Suddenly, Ru Xi Cheng’s foot slipped, and she couldn’t hold back a cry of alarm!

Shi Nuocen, who had been keeping an eye on her ex-wife’s movements while walking ahead, immediately turned around upon hearing the commotion and grabbed her hand.

Their palms locked, but unfortunately, the soil beneath their feet was loose. In the end, Shi Nuocen was pulled down by the force of her ex-wife’s fall, and both tumbled into a depression on the slope.

As they fell, Shi Nuocen quickly used her other hand to shield the back of Ru Xi Cheng’s head.

The depression was littered with small stones, and Shi Nuocen’s hand, which was protecting Ru Xi Cheng, was scraped by sharp edges, leaving several long, thin cuts. The deeper ones even oozed droplets of blood.

Seeing the wounds on Shi Nuocen’s hand, especially the crimson streaks of blood, Ru Xi Cheng felt a pang of distress. Without a second thought, she leaned down and gently licked the injuries with her tongue, tracing back and forth along the cuts.

Feeling the damp sensation on her hand, Shi Nuocen was slightly startled and immediately tried to pull back. “You don’t have to do this; and my hand is covered in dirt. Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself anywhere?”

Ru Xi Cheng held her hand firmly with both of hers, continuing what she had started, showing not a hint of disgust.

Seeing her like this, Shi Nuocen felt a warmth in her heart, tinged with a touch of sorrow.

Only after tending to the wounds on Shi Nuocen’s hand did Ru Xi Cheng attempt to stand up. “I’m fine, I can walk. It’s just that my calf is cramping a bit.”

Shi Nuocen immediately crouched down to carefully examine her leg and, reassured that it was nothing serious, relaxed.

“Are you two alright?” The cameraman, panting heavily, peered down from the slope.

Given how rugged and narrow the mountain path was, the photographer had opted for long-distance filming. But when he saw both of them suddenly fall in the camera frame, his heart nearly stopped in fright!

“We’re fine,” Ru Xi Cheng said softly, glancing at Shi Nuocen. “Luckily, Nuocen caught me, but her hand is quite injured.”

With the cameraman’s help, the two climbed back onto the slope and continued toward their destination to gather firewood. Along the way, Shi Nuocen used her uninjured hand to hold Ru Xi Cheng’s, their fingers interlocking openly and intimately.

After this incident, Shi Nuocen felt that the distance between their hearts had grown even closer. Filled with joy, she threw herself into completing the task with renewed vigor.

By the end of this round of activities, they had once again secured first place.

Award-winning actor Zong slapped his thigh and sighed, joking with a tone of lament, “You guys are too intense! But if we keep doing tasks nonstop, we won’t have time to build any emotional connections. After all, this is a dating show. We need more romantic sparks.”

Shi Nuocen, however, gave him a meaningful look. “Aren’t there already sparks? You and Bei Yi kissed, didn’t you?”

Zong jumped in surprise, his expression turning awkward. “You saw that?”

“I happened to catch it. And I’m sure the viewers saw it too. It’s probably trending on social media right now.”

“Trending…” Zong murmured to himself. After a moment, his curiosity sparked again. “Speaking of trending topics, I’ve been meaning to ask. That kiss on the Ferris wheel last time, was it really just an accident?”

Shi Nuocen only smiled without answering. She glanced at him briefly before turning to leave, thinking to herself: If the cameraman hadn’t been too far away during the mountain trail segment, she and her ex-wife might have ended up trending too. Actually, even if the footage of her ex-wife tending to her injury wasn’t captured, given her ex-wife’s influence, just the fall down the slope would have been enough to make headlines.

She walked away without another word, leaving Zong scratching his head in frustration, utterly puzzled. What did she mean by that?

Lunch that day was at a local villager’s home, and they stayed there overnight as well. The villagers were warm and hospitable, embodying the simple, honest local customs. After dinner, Shi Nuocen practiced a girl group dance right in the courtyard, drawing applause from the onlookers. Some lively children even joined in, dancing along with her.

The next day, after all the guests had gathered, the host announced the day’s activity: “Today’s task is to work part-time jobs! Based on your rankings from yesterday’s activity, you’ll choose your workplaces in order. The options are: a café, a cake shop, a Western restaurant, a noodle shop, a clothing store, a jewelry store, a bubble tea shop, and a cosmetics store. Your ranking will be determined by your sales and customer ratings for the day, so give it your all!”

“A quick reminder: As celebrities, you can’t rely on your fame to attract customers. Also, please take your work seriously. Any negative reviews or complaints will seriously affect your ranking.”

Upon hearing this, Bei Yi furrowed her delicate brows and analyzed, “A cosmetics store probably won’t struggle for customers, but a jewelry store that depends on luck. If you’re fortunate, sales won’t be a problem, but if luck isn’t on your side.” She made a helpless gesture.

“Even a cosmetics store could have slow days. It really depends on the brand. If it’s an established one, sales should be decent.” Shi Nuocen also felt conflicted, unsure of what to choose.

The production team refused to reveal any details about the workplaces, leaving it all up to chance.

Ru Xi Cheng said softly, “In that case, just pick one you like.”

“Then I’ll go with the jewelry store,” Shi Nuocen finally decided. Secretly, she was thinking about the day she planned to confess. She wanted to give her ex-wife a piece of jewelry, and working there would give her a chance to study them carefully.

Once the workplaces were decided, the celebrity guests began their creative disguises to avoid being recognized by fans.

Bei Yi gave herself a freckled look and put on a wig, while Zong wore thick black-framed glasses and used makeup to age himself by several years.

Shi Nuocen darkened her skin by a shade and put on a short, wavy pear-blossom wig. Ru Xi Cheng did something similar.

Once their disguises were complete, their day of work began.

Shi Nuocen and Ru Xi Cheng arrived in front of the jewelry store. Judging by the exterior decor, it was quite elegant, and although it wasn’t located in the city center, it wasn’t too remote either.

Actor Zong and his group had chosen a clothing store, which coincidentally happened to be right across from the jewelry store.

When they ran into each other, both sides paused for a moment. A thought suddenly crossed Shi Nuocen’s mind perhaps they could collaborate later?

She wasn’t the only one who thought of it; Actor Zong and his group had the same idea. But since they were all just temporary workers for the day, unsure of how much autonomy they actually had, no one brought it up on the spot.

Once Shi Nuocen and Ru Xi Cheng entered the store, the manager was already waiting for them. She briefly explained the employees’ duties and taught them some customer service etiquette, which the two of them took very seriously.

To better promote the merchandise, the manager allowed the staff to wear jewelry from the store, but emphasized the importance of taking good care of it and not losing anything. After finishing all the instructions, the manager was about to leave when Shi Nuocen quickly stopped her.

“Wait, please hold on. I have one more question. If we try to collaborate with the clothing store across the street today. For example, offering a 10% discount on jewelry purchases for customers who spend a certain amount on clothing. Would that be acceptable?”

“Sure, as long as we don’t operate at a loss and maintain a minimum profit, I have no objections,” the manager agreed readily, putting Shi Nuocen at ease.

Business officially started at 9 a.m. With only her and her ex-wife in the store at the moment, Shi Nuocen tapped on the glass counter, signaling for Ru Xi Cheng to extend her hand.

Ru Xi Cheng glanced at her sideways with her beautiful eyes, seeming to understand something, and cooperatively offered her hand.

It was a beautiful hand; slender, fair fingers with delicate, rounded tips. Shi Nuocen took out a tool to measure ring size and carefully began measuring.

Her expression was serious, as if she were admiring a work of art, especially since she was focusing on the ring finger, a symbolically sensitive area.

Ru Xi Cheng couldn’t help but feel her heart flutter and tentatively asked, “What are you doing?”