Transmigrated as the Scumbag Alpha’s Gorgeous Wife Who Keeps Trying to Seduce Me - Chapter 36

The show was nearing its end, with only the final episode left to film. No one expected that for the last challenge, the production team would rent a restaurant on the busiest street in the town. The two teams would cook, serve customers, and the team that made the highest revenue for the day would win.

The first task was gathering ingredients. It was easy enough to go to the market for vegetables, but they had to catch chickens in a nearby forest where the birds were raised free-range.

Zhou Ziqing and Su Ci were assigned to buy the vegetables. They got in the car and drove to the coastal farmers’ market.

The remaining four team members were responsible for catching the chickens. The production team required them to catch ten.

These chickens had been running around the forest for years. They were fast, agile, and knew the terrain better than anyone.

The four of them chased the chickens all over, blocking paths, setting traps, and creating complete chaos. Feathers flew everywhere, dogs barked, and after a long and exhausting effort, they finally caught ten chickens. The farmer who raised them laughed the entire time, clearly enjoying the show.

To avoid injuries, each of them wore gloves.

Chi Lengzhao held a large rooster firmly and pushed it into the cage without hesitation.

The slaughter and plucking would be handled by the farmer later.

Earlier, while running through the woods, Chi Lengzhao’s designer outfit got scratched in several places. Luckily, her skin was unharmed, but her clothes were now covered in feathers. As she walked, she brushed them off while listening to Liang Xiaoshu complain.

“My T-shirt has a huge tear on the shoulder. It’s ruined!”

Chi Lengzhao laughed. “Don’t worry. The production team said this kind of damage is normal and they’ll cover it.”

Lu Meng added, “Then these chickens must be really expensive.”

Chi Lengzhao replied, “Of course they are. If you include our labor cost for catching them, the price would be through the roof. It would probably scare away half the customers.”

As they chatted and laughed, someone tugged gently on Chi Lengzhao’s shirt.

“You have a feather on your head,” said a soft and clear voice.

Chi Lengzhao stopped and turned around. Shen Zhixi had reached out to remove the feather from her hair.

But Chi Lengzhao turned too suddenly. Shen Zhixi couldn’t stop in time and accidentally bumped into her.

Shen Zhixi’s cheek landed on something warm, soft, and slightly damp.

“Mm…”

Chi Lengzhao saw stars. Her lips felt like they had been smashed against her teeth.

Liang Xiaoshu burst into laughter. “Captain Chi, that kiss looked painful!”

Lu Meng, more concerned, asked, “Are you both alright, Teacher Chi, Teacher Shen?”

Chi Lengzhao moved her lips and tasted a faint trace of blood. Her lip must have split. She shook her head and said, “I’m fine.”

She looked at Shen Zhixi and saw her holding her forehead, a small frown between her brows.

Chi Lengzhao asked gently, “How about you?”

Shen Zhixi lowered her hand and shook her head, showing she was okay.

Chi Lengzhao leaned in to check her injury. A red mark had appeared on Shen Zhixi’s fair cheek, but the skin wasn’t broken. Relieved, she stepped back.

Liang Xiaoshu teased again, “Captain Chi really is gentle and caring. Always worried about her wife.”

Chi Lengzhao looked slightly embarrassed and said to Shen Zhixi, “It’s nothing serious. The redness will fade soon.”

Shen Zhixi quickly lowered her head and nodded softly.

Liang Xiaoshu laughed. “Our Captain Chi is so pure. Just one kiss and she’s blushing. They’re already married and still act like they just started dating.”

Lu Meng added with a smile, “They’re newlyweds. Of course they’re still in the honeymoon phase.”

Because a guest’s torn clothes affected the filming schedule, the production team drove them back to the inn and gave them fifteen minutes to change and rest.

After changing, Chi Lengzhao planned to wash her face.

The bathroom door was slightly open. From where she stood, she could see Shen Zhixi standing in front of the mirror, trying to apply ointment to her right shoulder using her left hand. The wound seemed to be a bit lower down, and she couldn’t quite reach it.

Chi Lengzhao knocked gently and asked, “Do you need help? Your wound is on your back, it might be hard to reach it on your own.”

Shen Zhixi was startled. She looked at the mirror, saw Chi Lengzhao at the door, and quickly composed herself. She nodded quietly without turning around.

A red scratch ran down her back. It stood out against her pale skin and looked like it was caused by a tree branch while catching chickens.

Chi Lengzhao dabbed a bit of ointment on the wound, then gently spread it with her fingertips.

Her touch was soft, moving in gentle circles.

Shen Zhixi’s skin was so fair that any blush was easy to see, and she had been red ever since their earlier accident. She was only wearing underwear now, and even she could see the curve of her chest when she looked down.

“Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Chi Lengzhao asked suddenly.

“Hmm?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt?”

So that was what she meant. Shen Zhixi lifted her eyes slightly. Her gaze passed through the strands of hair falling in front of her face. She peeked at Chi Lengzhao’s reflection in the mirror. Her head was lowered, her expression gentle and focused entirely on the wound.

“It’s just a scratch,” Shen Zhixi paused, then added softly, “You didn’t tell me about your left shoulder either.”

Chi Lengzhao’s hand froze for a moment, but she didn’t deny it. “How did you know?”

She was confused, because she had made sure to change clothes when Shen Zhixi wasn’t around.

“I smelled the ointment. The cut on your nose healed, so I figured the injury must be somewhere else. That day, when you were putting on your wetsuit, your movements were off. Later, when you lifted the paddle board, your left arm moved awkwardly. That’s when I was sure it was your shoulder.”

Shen Zhixi bit her lip and said quietly, “It happened during rock climbing, didn’t it? I stepped on you.”

Chi Lengzhao didn’t expect her to say so much, and every word was correct. She looked at Shen Zhixi in the mirror for a long moment.

Shen Zhixi still had her head down. Her soft hair blocked Chi Lengzhao’s view, leaving only her delicate forehead visible. Somehow, that made her look even more endearing. Her flushed earlobes, however, were impossible to miss.

Chi Lengzhao put down the ointment and wiped her hands. “All done.”

“Thank you,” Shen Zhixi said as she clutched her shirt, though she didn’t put it on right away.

“I’ll go out first,” Chi Lengzhao said. She knew Shen Zhixi was feeling shy.

Shen Zhixi smiled softly, got dressed, and walked out. She came over to Chi Lengzhao and said gently, “Let’s go.”

Chi Lengzhao was leaning against the table, both hands holding her phone as she replied to work messages. Without looking up, she said, “Just a second, I’ll be done soon.”

Shen Zhixi nodded and leaned on the table next to her. She kept sneaking glances at the woman beside her. A small smile appeared at the corner of her lips.

She cherished this quiet moment together. She liked being near her. This woman was gentle and strong. When she was around, Shen Zhixi always felt safe.

Chi Lengzhao finished replying to the message, lifted her head, raised her eyebrows with a smile, and once again saw that familiar, adorable face. This time, she couldn’t help herself. She reached out and gently touched Shen Zhixi’s head.

“You’ve been waiting long, haven’t you?”

Her touch was light, a soft pat on the top of Shen Zhixi’s head, filled with gentle affection.

It felt a little like petting a beloved pet.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over Chi Lengzhao’s tall, slender figure.

Her cool and elegant features lit up with a brilliant smile, a beauty that caught everyone off guard.

Shen Zhixi’s heart was pounding. Suddenly, she leaned in and gave Chi Lengzhao a quick kiss on the cheek, then turned around, opened the door, and ran out.

Chi Lengzhao’s mind went blank. She stood there, stunned.

It took her several seconds to recover. Slowly, she lifted a hand to touch the spot where Shen Zhixi had just kissed her.

This seemed to be the second time Shen Zhixi had kissed her.

From outside, Shen Zhixi’s playful voice called out, “Captain Chi, if you don’t come out now, we’re going to be late!”

Zhou Ziqing and the others returned from shopping. They all sat down together to tally up costs, plan the menu, and set the prices.

The giant lobster was naturally the most expensive. Next came the chicken, since it had taken a lot of effort to catch, and they even lost two designer T-shirts in the process. The rest included small seafood and some vegetables.

The production team had divided the restaurant into two separate areas so the teams wouldn’t interfere with each other. Each team had a professional chef to handle technical dishes like the lobster.

Soon, it was opening time, and tourists began arriving for lunch.

At the entrance, Lu Meng and Ma Yue called out loudly to attract customers.

“Fresh and affordable seafood! Free-range fitness chicken! You haven’t truly visited XX if you haven’t tried it!”

A tourist looked at Lu Meng and asked, “Aren’t you Lu Meng?”

Lu Meng replied without flinching, “If I were Lu Meng, would I really be out here greeting customers?”

Liang Xiaoshu was in charge of taking orders. One tourist was shocked by the price of a chicken.

“This expensive? What kind of fitness chicken is this?”

Liang Xiaoshu adjusted her sunglasses and replied,
“This is locally raised, free-range chicken. Limited supply, only ten today. Once we sell out, that’s it.”

“It’s still too expensive!”

“The price is a bit high, yes, but the ingredients are excellent. We even have a giant lobster today. Just one, so you’ll have to be quick.”

Hearing that there was lobster, the tourist became interested. But after checking the price, he was speechless.

“That’s way too expensive.”

Liang Xiaoshu smiled politely and suggested,
“Maybe try something else instead? We’re right by the sea. Today’s fish and shrimp are fresh and affordable.”

“Alright, I’ll have the fish, these shrimp, and what’s this shellfish? I’ll take one of those too.”

Some customers thought the prices were too high, but others didn’t mind.

“This fitness chicken, is it really raised in the forest?”

“Of course. We caught them ourselves this morning. Our clothes even got torn by branches. We only managed to catch ten.”

“When it’s served, is it a whole chicken? The price isn’t based on weight?”

“Our prices are clearly marked. You can see for yourself on the menu. It’s priced per chicken.”

“Alright then, I’ll take one white-cut chicken.”

Soon, the restaurant had sold three chickens. One was made into white-cut chicken, one into chicken soup, and the third into coconut chicken.

In the kitchen, the camera focused on the head chefs and assistants. Two professional chefs stood nearby to supervise and offer help if needed.

Team Chi Lengzhao:
Head Chef – Chi Lengzhao
Assistants – Shen Zhixi, Su Ci
Server – Zhou Ziqing

Team Shi Xin:
Head Chef – Shi Xin
Assistants – Lu Manni and another teammate
Server – Ma Yue’s wife

The ingredients had all been prepped by the professional chefs. The teams only had to cook them, whether by steaming, boiling, or stir-frying.

When the master chef saw how well Chi Lengzhao handled the white-cut chicken, he asked,
“You know how to cook?”

Chi Lengzhao’s expression softened.
“My mother used to love this dish. When I was little, I made it for her on her birthday.”

As soon as she said it, she regretted it.

Flattered by the praise, she had let her guard down and shared a personal story. But it wasn’t her story.

How would she know what the original Chi’s mother liked to eat? Would the original Chi even know how to cook white-cut chicken? She was a pampered heiress who probably never even held a spatula.

Sure enough, Shi Xin let out a mocking laugh.

“Wow, Chi Lengzhao, I didn’t know you could make white-cut chicken. For your mom, no less? Since when were you her little angel?”

The original Chi rarely mentioned her mother. On her 20th birthday, she had gotten drunk with Shi Xin and a few others. In her drunkenness, she had cried and said,
“I hate myself.”

Someone had asked,
“What’s wrong, Zhao?”

Chi, slurring her words, had said,
“My mom used to bake me a huge cake every year. I loved it as a kid. Later, I stopped eating anything that woman made. Now no one makes cake for me anymore. Come on, let’s drink.”

A woman like that, who didn’t even enter the kitchen, would cook for her mother?

Shi Xin sneered again.
“What a touching story. Keep going, I’m all ears.”

Lu Manni added,
“Captain Chi, the good daughter image is lovely, but be careful it doesn’t fall apart.”

They didn’t even try to hide their accusation. They thought Chi Lengzhao was lying to look good for the show.

Chi Lengzhao stayed quiet. She didn’t want to say anything else that might give herself away. She focused on cooking.

But Shi Xin wasn’t done.
“So, when exactly did you learn to make white-cut chicken? Tell us.”

Chi Lengzhao remained calm.
“I learned later. It’s just a dish. No need to make a fuss.”

While washing vegetables nearby, Shen Zhixi spoke up.
“I used to help my mom in the kitchen too. I wasn’t as skilled as Zhao. I just did prep work. But now, I can cook a couple of dishes. If you’re willing to learn, anything’s possible.”

Chi Lengzhao turned to look at her, her eyes filled with gratitude.

Zhou Ziqing added,
“That’s right. Ever since Su Su and I got together, her cooking has improved so much!”

Su Ci rolled her eyes.
“That’s because you’re so picky.”

Zhou Ziqing laughed.
“You spoiled me, wife!”

And just like that, the awkward moment passed with everyone’s teasing and laughter.

After a busy lunch service, the restaurant closed at 3 p.m.

Team Chi Lengzhao sold eight chickens. Team Shi Xin sold all ten. But neither team managed to sell their lobster because of the high price.

When the earnings were calculated, Team Chi sold fewer chickens, but at a slightly higher price. Their small seafood sold better than Team Shi’s, and overall, they made more money.

The host announced the results.
“Team Chi Lengzhao wins!”

“Yes!” the team cheered.

Zhou Ziqing hugged her wife, Su Ci, and Liang Xiaoshu gave Lu Meng a big kiss on the cheek.

Everyone burst into happy laughter.

Amid the laughter, Shen Zhixi turned to look at Chi Lengzhao, just as Chi looked at her. Their eyes met. After a long and chaotic kitchen battle, both had messy hair, but they smiled at each other warmly.

The two unsold lobsters and two leftover chickens were later turned into a delicious dinner by the professional chefs for the guests.

And with that hearty meal, filming for the variety show came to an end.

The next morning, everyone said their goodbyes at the inn and flew off to different cities.

Chi Lengzhao sat by the plane window, watching the cotton-candy clouds below. Her thoughts drifted far away.

“What are you thinking about?”

Shen Zhixi had noticed that Chi Lengzhao sometimes went completely quiet, like she had disappeared into her own world.

She could feel the coldness that seemed to come from deep inside her.

Chi Lengzhao turned her gaze back and answered,
“I was thinking about the past. Not the happy parts.”

Shen Zhixi hesitated.
“Can you tell me about it?”

Chi Lengzhao smiled faintly.
“I remembered flying abroad to visit a close friend. I left feeling happy and full of hope. But when I came back, I was all alone.”

She took a deep breath and smiled gently at Shen Zhixi.
“But not this time. This time, I’m not alone. We’re coming back together.”

“Do you feel lonely?”

“A little. But it’s okay. I’ve gotten used to it.”

Shen Zhixi smiled softly and looked at the woman beside her. Her face was fair and clean, her smile calm and sincere.

She didn’t know what Chi Lengzhao had gone through to become someone who could face loneliness with such quiet strength.

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