The Salted Fish And Protagonist A Ended Up Together - Chapter 37.1

They put on their helmets, sat on the luge carts, and listened to the instructor’s briefing. Once the briefing ended, Wen Mian took the lead and dashed out, with Gu Man following closely behind.

The whistling wind rushed past their ears. It was thrilling and fun as they hit the bumps. Wang Mo watched the two of them ride for a distance before following, her speed was also high, as if she wanted to release all her pent-up low emotions.

Wen Mian, who got jolted by a bump, suddenly made a bitter face and cried out in her heart, Ouch, that hurts.

She slowed down slightly and shouted loudly, “When you see a pit, slow down! Otherwise, the bumps really hurt your butt!”

Gu Man raised her voice to reply, “Okay!”

By the time they reached the bottom, though it was indeed a bit jolting, it was undeniably fun. Wen Mian expressed great satisfaction.

Gu Man stopped right next to her. “Another round?”

Wen Mian’s eyes sparkled as she turned to look at her. “Of course!”

“Then I’ll follow you,” Gu Man said naturally.

After experiencing the Luge, the six of them all had smiles on their faces. Zhang Yunxi leaned in toward Wen Mian and asked curiously, “How was it? Did Sister Gu keep watch over you the whole time?”

Wen Mian let out an “Oh.” “Does this mean… Shiqiu has been keeping watch over you?” She feigned surprise and covered her mouth.

Zhang Yunxi’s face turned red, and she turned away in exasperation. “Wasn’t I the one who asked you first!”

Wen Mian burst into laughter, confirming her thoughts. “She kept watch the whole time. Happy now?”

Zhang Yunxi immediately turned back, her curiosity satisfied.

After dinner, the six returned to the courtyard. Zhong Li clapped his hands and began making arrangements: “Everyone, today is our fourth day in Yunjiang. Tomorrow we will leave and head to the next location. Please remember to pack your luggage. We depart at 10:00 AM.”

Wen Mian asked in confusion, “No rest this time?”

Zhong Li nodded. “I have already discussed it with your managers. Once this recording session is finished, the Initial Heartbeat of Love livestream will also come to an end.”

Wen Mian nodded, looking at Gu Man out of the corner of her eye, a faint sense of reluctance hidden in her gaze. Zhang Yunxi wore her reluctance plainly on her face and asked, “Director, how many more days of recording are left?”

There was no reason to hide this. Zhong Li checked the time and replied, “We will record for five more days, ending on May 20th. It’s a good date.”

Everyone was stunned by these words; they truly hadn’t expected it to end so soon.

While the six women felt reluctant to part, the livestream was filled with wails.

【Wuwu, why? Why end so soon!】

【Yeah! Weren’t they usually recorded for a month? Why only half a month this time?】

【My ‘GuMian’ ship! Once they part this time, how long will it be until they meet again?】

【Wuwu, I’m crying. And my ‘YunShi’ ship, who knows when they’ll meet next.】

【Can’t you film for a few more days? We don’t ask for much, just make it the same as before!】

【Plus one, plus one. Production team? Look at us! Don’t miss out on this traffic!】

Regardless of how much the fans suffered, Zhong Li didn’t care. Because of the news, Zhang Yunxi and the others went back to their rooms to settle their moods.

Wen Mian didn’t go back, she sat on the sofa with Gu Man. Gu Man turned her head to look at her, a fragmented, dark shimmer in her eyes beneath her lashes. Suppressing her reluctance, she spoke softly, “Do you want some white fungus soup?”

Wen Mian shifted her gaze from the TV to her and nodded. “Yes! You make it for me.” Her tone was matter of fact.

The corners of Gu Man’s eyes tilted up slightly as she agreed without hesitation, “Okay, I’ll make it for you.” Her voice trailed off with a flirtatious, doting, and gentle tone.

Gu Man stood up and walked toward the kitchen, and Wen Mian followed right behind her. The white fungus was something Gu Man had specifically brought along, stored in a small jar, it turned gelatinous as soon as it was boiled.

Gu Man let the fungus simmer in a small pot and turned to look at Wen Mian, who was leaning against the door frame staring down at the soup.

“This white fungus is very good. Everyone in my studio eats it.”

Wen Mian gave an “Oh” and looked up at her. “Then I’ll try some in a bit.”

Gu Man hummed in agreement and lifted the pot lid to check. The water was starting to bubble. She poured in the milk, heated it slightly, and then turned off the power. It was exactly one bowl’s worth. Gu Man picked up the bowl and walked to Wen Mian’s side. “Come, have a taste.”

Wen Mian’s nose caught the scent of the milk and white fungus in the air. Her eyes sparkled as she stared at the bowl in Gu Man’s hand, following beside her.

“Is it done that fast?” Wen Mian asked curiously.

Gu Man nodded. “It’s instant, so it doesn’t take much time.”

Wen Mian realized, “Ohh!”

Sitting on the sofa, she took the bowl from Gu Man’s hand and drank it spoonful by spoonful. The white fungus had a crunchy texture, but the overall feeling was thick and gelatinous, while the milk was lightly sweet.

After finishing it bit by bit, Wen Mian squinted with satisfaction. She tilted her head toward Gu Man and asked softly, “Going back to the room?”

Before Gu Man could respond, the audience in the livestream erupted.

【What did MianMian say? Go back to the room? You two live in one room? Hehe, then… that’s great!】 【Where’s the Civil Affairs Bureau? Quickly, grab these two and get them married! I can’t take this anymore!】

【Haha, I finally understand. This couple speaks in a way that makes people misunderstand.】

【What do you mean ‘misunderstand’? They are a match made in heaven!】

Gu Man also thought about the image of the two of them being together. Although she knew Wen Mian’s words were unintentional, she couldn’t stop her heart from racing.

Her eyelashes trembled as she nodded. “Okay, let’s go back to the room.”

Wen Mian gave her a curious look, then walked upstairs with light steps and her hands behind her back. Her lower back swayed with her movements, looking very alluring.

Gu Man trembled as she averted her eyes, yet her peripheral vision uncontrollably drifted upward.

Reaching the door of the room, Wen Mian turned around, her eyes misty like autumn water. “See you tomorrow.”

Gu Man replied softly, “See you tomorrow.”

The night passed quietly. After eating the “Love Breakfast” made by Gu Man, the group boarded a vehicle.

A plane flew across the sky over Yunjiang, leaving behind a long trail like extended wings. Stepping off the plane, everyone arrived at the final location of the dating show, Qingjiang.

Xiao Meng gestured with her arm, introducing the place to everyone: “Qingjiang is a small town that has developed rapidly in our country in recent years. The scenery is beautiful, the air is fresh, and it is also the hometown of Ms. Gu Man. We will spend our final five days here, experiencing the life of the people of Qingjiang.”

At the mention of the name Qingjiang, Wen Mian instinctively looked at Gu Man. Her hometown? A sliver of anticipation welled up in her heart, she wondered what Gu Man’s life was like as a child.

Gu Man looked at Qingjiang before her with a calm expression. Qingjiang was not big; despite having “Jiang” (river) in its name, it was actually surrounded by mountains.

Three years ago, this was still a barren and isolated town. The mountain roads were rugged and uneven, and the people wore simple cotton clothes. Later, after she entered the entertainment industry, the first sum of money she earned was used to build roads for this town, followed by various construction projects of all sizes.

After she became famous, many fans came to her so-called hometown for tourism, driving the town’s economy. The current town had long since shed its old appearance, as if it had hit an accelerator, the roads were neat, vehicles shuttled back and forth, and tourists walked in small groups, laughing.

Wen Mian was full of enthusiasm and took the initiative to raise her hand and ask, “Director, where are we staying?”

Zhong Li pointed toward the mountains in the distance. “This time we are staying in the mountains. We’ve already made the reservations. Everyone, get in the car.”

Wen Mian nodded and turned to say to Gu Man, “Let’s go, get in the car.”

Gu Man chuckled and followed.

Boarding the shuttle bus specifically sent by the villa to pick them up, Wen Mian looked around curiously. Gu Man sat beside her and whispered, “If you’re curious about anything, you can ask me.”

Wen Mian gave a hum and gave Gu Man a radiant smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely ask you.”

Seeing that she wasn’t just being polite, Gu Man turned her head away, lightly resting her clenched fist against her nose, trying to disperse the pervasive strawberry scent that belonged to Wen Mian.

The villa was built on the mountainside, requiring a winding drive up. The shuttle bus swayed back and forth like a small snake coiling upward. Wen Mian frowned, her eyes half-closed, suppressing the urge to vomit.

“Ugh~” At another turn, she couldn’t help but let out a pained groan.

Gu Man immediately turned to look at her, her brows tightly knit. “Carsick?”