The Scummy Alpha Transmigrated into a Tragedy Novel and Went Viral! - Chapter 32

After the hearty lunch, the director quickly resumed filming the first day’s schedule. Just like their time in Yun City, the couples had to choose the rooms they would be staying in. The only difference was that, out here on the grasslands, they would be living in Mongolian yurts—a novel and exciting experience for the celebrity couples.

Zhong Junhong and Cai Keke led the group to the accommodation area on the ranch, where a neat row of clean, white yurts stood waiting for them.

“Next, we’ll be playing a game to determine which yurt each couple gets!” Zhong Junhong announced with a grin. “As you can see, these yurts behind us were arranged by Mr. Aji, who runs this ranch resort. Though they all look identical from the outside, the interiors are a completely different story. Some are luxurious suites, while others are minimalist twin rooms. Which one you end up with will depend entirely on your luck and skill!”

“Exactly! Today’s challenge is simple: three rounds, points in each. The top three scorers will claim a luxury suite, a spacious double room, and a standard double room, while the bottom two will end up with a minimalist yurts!”

“The first game,” Zhong Junhong announced, “is a rapid-fire Q&A! Raise your hand to answer. A correct answer earns ten points, but a wrong one gets you nothing.”

“The first question is an easy one—everyone, get ready!”

“Okay!” the participants shouted back in unison, full of energy and confidence.

Zhong Junhong exchanged a knowing look with Cai Keke before continuing with a sly smile, “Here’s the question: How many cows and sheep does the owner of this ranch raise, and what’s the total area of the ranch?”

Although everyone knew it was supposed to be an easy question, they didn’t expect it to be that easy. Cheng Jingling, eager and full of enthusiasm, threw up her hand—and in her excitement, she even jumped out of line. “I know!” she shouted.

The group burst into laughter, and even the herders watching from behind the cameras joined in.

“Alright, the first question goes to Cheng Jingling!” Cai Keke announced.

“There are 1,000 cows, 3,000 sheep, and the ranch covers 15,000 mu!” Cheng Jingling declared confidently, waiting proudly for the hosts’ verdict.

“Congratulations! That’s correct! Cheng Jingling and Yufu earn ten points!”

Cheng Jingling returned to the group, her grin triumphant as she arched a brow at Ji Yufu. Ji Yufu chuckled, giving her a thumbs-up and playfully smoothing down the proud pup’s “fur.”

“The second question!” Zhong Junhong continued. “How large is the Jinping Grasslands?”

The moment the question was read out, everyone’s jaws dropped. Without phones to look it up, who could possibly know the area of the entire grassland? The couples began whispering and guessing among themselves. Acting-related questions might have been fine, but geography? That was another story entirely.

Xiao Chengyi hesitantly raised his hand—he sort of remembered something.

“Chengyi, your answer?”

“Eight hundred and thirty thousand square kilometers?” he said uncertainly.

“Sorry, that’s incorrect.”

Chengyi shook his head ruefully and returned to the group. Normally so gentle and easygoing, even his good-natured smile couldn’t hide the frustration that rippled through the others.

“Do you know?” Cheng Jingling whispered to Ji Yufu. “I have no idea. I’ve never been here before.”

“Didn’t we study this back in school?” Ji Yufu asked calmly.

“That was ages ago! And after I went abroad, I forgot everything.”

Ji Yufu’s lips curved upward in an amused smile. She found Cheng Jingling’s honesty both endearing and refreshing. Then, with a confident, charming smile, she said softly, “Well, this time, make sure you remember it.” And she raised her hand.

Zhong Junhong immediately called on her. “Yufu, go ahead.”

“One million one hundred and thirty thousand square kilometers,” Ji Yufu said gently but with absolute certainty.

After checking the answer sheet, Zhong Junhong broke into a pleased grin. “Correct! Congratulations—Jingling and Yufu get another ten points!”

The others sighed and clapped politely, while Xiao Chengyi’s smile faltered, not quite reaching his eyes.

“Don’t lose heart, everyone,” Zhong Junhong said encouragingly. “There are still more chances ahead!”

But his co-host, Cai Keke, had no intention of softening the blow.

“And now, the third question—the final one of this round!” she said brightly, glancing around to gauge everyone’s reactions.

“What? Already? That’s way too few!” Jiang Yiyu protested loudly.

“Guess we should’ve studied harder,” Huang Yili muttered self-deprecatingly.

“Don’t worry, there’s plenty more to come,” Cai Keke assured them with a laugh, waving her cue card. “Alright, here it is: What’s the main ethnic group living on the Jinping Grasslands, and what’s their most important traditional festival?”

This one wasn’t too hard, and the couples began murmuring excitedly among themselves. Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu exchanged a helpless glance and shook their heads honestly.

“This one’s all on you,” Cheng Jingling said. Ji Yufu looked into her bright, innocent eyes and couldn’t help thinking she’d never seen such pure, beautiful foolishness.

Xiao Chengyi shot his hand up again, his voice firm and loud: “The Geluo ethnic group—and the Blessing Festival!”

“Congratulations! That’s correct! Chengyi and Weilan get ten points!”

Xiao Chengyi, overjoyed at their high score, spun around and scooped Bai Weilan into his arms, twirling her in circles as he praised her nonstop.

“Weiwei, you were amazing!”

With the first round concluded, Zhong Junhong and Cai Keke announced the start of the second. The group moved to a soft, open patch of grass where five lanes had already been marked with ropes. Staff members brought over five burlap sacks and handed them out.

“As everyone knows,” Zhong Junhong began with a grin, “living on the grasslands requires a strong body. So, our second challenge will test your stamina and endurance—it’s time for the Kangaroo Hop!”

Cai Keke bounced toward the camera, mimicking a kangaroo, her movements adorable enough to make everyone laugh. Taking over the explanation, she continued, “But this isn’t your ordinary kangaroo jump! Our track is a full 100 meters long, split into two parts. The first 50 meters are for the kangaroo hop, and the remaining 50 meters are for the ‘devil’s relay.’ Friendly reminder—the second half is way tougher, so it might be smart to let your Alpha handle that one!”

“You’ll have three minutes to decide how to split the tasks!”

The moment they heard it was a test of physical strength, the teams erupted in noise. Jiang Yiyu’s face instantly fell. He was a firm believer in doing as little physical activity as possible—sit if you can, lie down if you can’t sit. To maintain his figure, he’d rather starve than work out. Fifty meters of hopping in a sack? That was pure torture. Thankfully, his teammate Wang Zicheng had once been a dance-and-sing idol. Even though he’d switched careers years ago, his stamina was still top-notch.

On the other team, Huang Yili—once the main dancer of her idol group—was just as capable. Years of dance training had given her incredible endurance. Though she’d since transitioned into acting, she still practiced daily and kept her body in peak condition.

With such clear advantages on those sides, Zhao Yimai and Jiao Yanting’s team wasn’t looking so optimistic. Both of them were Betas—less physically strong than Alphas—so after some discussion, they decided Jiao Yanting would do the kangaroo jump while Zhao Yimai handled the relay.

As for Xiao Chengyi, with his sculpted physique and mature Alpha charm, the so-called “devil’s relay” was no challenge at all.

Everyone on the field was fired up and ready to go—except for Cheng Jingling and Ji Yufu, who exchanged uneasy glances. Ji Yufu had long practiced yoga, giving her a perfect posture and figure, but high-intensity movement like this wasn’t her strong suit. Cheng Jingling, on the other hand, had spent her pre-transmigration days partying hard with friends and had zero concept of fitness. Still, thanks to her naturally blessed metabolism, she stayed slim and toned no matter how much she indulged.

“I’ll do the relay, and you take the kangaroo jump, okay?” Cheng Jingling said simply.

“Mm-hmm.” Ji Yufu nodded, though she already had a sinking feeling this round wasn’t going to end well for them.

After the discussion wrapped up, the game kicked off. Cheng Jingling helped Ji Yufu get into the sack. It looked short at a glance, but once unfolded, it reached up to Ji Yufu’s thighs.

“Watch your step—don’t fall!” Cheng Jingling warned warmly. She’d watched others play this game before, including one unfortunate soul who tumbled nonstop from start to finish. She wasn’t about to let Ji Yufu suffer the same fate; a close call was the worst she could accept.

Once all the “kangaroos” were ready, the relay partners took their places at the 50-meter mark. When the first runner hit the line, they’d high-five to hand over the relay. The second half of the pair would then sprint to the finish line as fast as possible.

“Ready, go!”

At the shout from the host, the “kangaroos” launched forward with all their might. In the blink of an eye, the once-graceful and elegant celebrities were transformed into a herd of bouncing kangaroos. Their partners at the end of the track shouted encouragements wildly, while local herders gathered to watch the hilarious spectacle, cheering for their favorite stars. The entire pasture rang with laughter and applause.

Ji Yufu struggled to keep up. At first, she managed to stay neck and neck with the others, but before long, she started to lag behind. Liu Ke was in the lead, followed closely by Jiao Yanting, while Bai Weilan, Ji Yufu, and Jiang Yiyu traded places back and forth in the middle pack. Jiang Yiyu gasped for breath as he hopped, feeling lightheaded and muttering to himself that fifty meters had never felt so endless.

At the finish line, Cheng Jingling cheered herself hoarse for Ji Yufu. Hearing her voice, Ji Yufu looked up wearily—only to burst out laughing at the sight. Cheng Jingling was waving her arms wildly, her whole body swaying like a piece of seaweed in the wind. Ji Yufu couldn’t help thinking she looked exactly like one of those inflatable dancing figures outside supermarkets. The laughter completely broke her focus—her momentum drained away, and she slipped from third place to fifth. Seeing that, Cheng Jingling flailed even harder, desperate to boost her morale. Ji Yufu, half-laughing and half-annoyed, forced herself to look away and focus on the track.

Liu Ke was the first to complete his jump and hand off to his teammate, with Jiao Yanting close behind. By the time Ji Yufu reached the end, the other four relay runners had already taken off. Cheng Jingling quickly high-fived her, then shot forward like an arrow loosed from its string—determined to catch up.

But as soon as she hit the ground, she let out a sharp cry of pain.