Chapter 122
No sooner had Director Niu finished speaking than Qiu Chengye and Lai Bingxuan instantly flushed red with anger.
“Can’t handle losing? What do you mean, can’t handle losing? Who can’t handle losing?!” Qiu Chengye yelled, about to pounce.
Lai Bingxuan rolled her eyes multiple times. “Who do you think you’re looking down on, old man? It’s just losing a bet. I don’t need your damn car, I’ll figure it out myself!”
This time, Director Niu turned red in anger.
Old man? Old man?! OLD MAN!!!
He had only two strands of gray hair from the stress of managing this bunch of lunatics—and that’s all!!
Just as the tension was about to boil over, an unexpected peacemaker stepped forward.
“Stop fighting, stop fighting. We’re all colleagues.”
Despite her injured leg, Xie Mi stubbornly limped into the middle to try and stop the quarrel.
Director Niu looked slightly surprised, and the other staff members all showed expressions of relief.
Ah… Teacher Xie finally understood.
Xie Mi, dead serious, pointed at Qiu Chengye and Lai Bingxuan: “You two can’t handle losing.”
Then she pointed at Director Niu: “You are the old man.”
“Everyone take a step back. That should work, right?”
Boom!
The previously dormant volcano erupted. Qiu Chengye, Lai Bingxuan, and Director Niu instantly descended into a heated verbal battle.
Other staff shouted: Who taught you to mediate like that?!
Having successfully escalated the tension, Xie Mi limped away with grace, quietly claiming credit for herself.
Thus ended the opening skirmish. Qiu Chengye and Lai Bingxuan, determined to prove they could handle losing, reluctantly followed the program’s arrangement, trying to hitch a ride along the roadside.
Xu Shuangrong and Yu Jinzhe opted for the subway. Along the way, they encountered many fans. Xu Shuangrong even took half of her limited budget to buy candy for them, earning goodwill from passersby.
Xiao Jingxi and Liu Woxing took a taxi. It wasn’t as luxurious as their usual rides, but compared to the other two groups, it was already a breeze.
Meanwhile, Xie Mi and Shen Yanqing were in true paradise.
A luxury extended limousine waited at the hotel entrance. The driver stepped out to open the door, a red carpet was rolled out, and congratulations rang out from both sides.
“First place, please board—”
Xie Mi, wearing slippers, limping on her cane, and munching a tea egg, looked utterly shocked.
“This… is the treatment for first place?”
Shen Yanqing smiled softly, leisurely speaking:
“All of this is the empire Teacher Xie has built for me.”
[No wonder Teacher Xie fought so hard for first place. The difference in perks is astronomical!]
[Just came from the Beggar Team. Excuse me, is this heaven?]
[Beggar Team?! Hahaha. Aren’t you scared Qiu-ge and Sister Lai will beat you up?]
[Beggar Team is history. Now it’s Version 2.0: the Scam Team. Qiu-ge is already sitting on car hoods forcing fans to give him rides.]
[Better to rely on yourself than on others. If he asks, his “father” Xie Mi isn’t just going to ignore him.]
[Polite Qiu-ge: f*ck you.]
Boarding the limousine, Xie Mi was even more shocked.
This car didn’t just have air conditioning and music—it even had a karaoke system.
On the table: fruit platters, alcohol, and all kinds of expensive snacks that dazzled the eyes.
Without hesitation, Xie Mi pulled out a massive black plastic bag and started raiding the snacks.
Shen Yanqing was perfectly in tune with her. Not only did he hold the bag for her, but once it was full, he even took off his jacket to hold more snacks.
[You two really don’t leave anything to chance, do you?]
[Isn’t that Shen-ge… using a luxury runway jacket to hold snacks?!]
[What’s more important than spoiling your wife?]
[Shen-ge really has a grand mindset.]
The limousine drove leisurely along the road.
Passing Qiu Chengye and Lai Bingxuan pretending to be injured in front of fans’ cars.
Passing Xu Shuangrong and Yu Jinzhe sweating under the sun on the subway.
Passing Xiao Jingxi and Liu Woxing in a taxi with broken AC, drenched in sweat.
Amidst everyone’s envious gazes, the first-place team drove off in style.
Unanimously, everyone thought:
First place… is really nice.
An hour and a half later, the limousine stopped at the entrance of the hot spring resort.
The resort manager personally led them to a five-star private villa.
But a problem soon appeared.
Since it was on a mountain, despite the resort’s luxurious facilities, uphill paths couldn’t be avoided.
Xie Mi, leaning on her cane, naturally had some difficulty moving.
“Can’t walk anymore?”
Shen Yanqing slowed his already deliberate pace, smiling warmly with a hint of expectation. “Want me to help you?”
Along the way, Shen Yanqing had given Xie Mi this look more than once—like he wanted to write “I want to help you” across his face.
But Xie Mi’s stubbornness prevailed.
She limped 800 meters without a word, even using her cane as a pole to jump over a small pit mid-path.
If not for the uneven uphill stones, she wouldn’t have stopped.
Seeing this, Director Niu, who had been waiting nearby, revealed an expectant expression.
Or rather, ever since Xie Mi got the cast, he’d been anticipating this.
Injury meant difficulty walking. Difficulty walking meant physical contact. And then… princess carries, piggyback rides, CEO lifts…
This was perfect romantic variety show atmosphere!
The other accompanying staff clearly thought the same.
Countless expectant eyes were fixed on Xie Mi.
True to expectations, Xie Mi dropped her cane and looked at Shen Yanqing.
Even the live comments went wild.
[Attention everyone! My CP is about to get sweet!]
[Okay, I admit it. I had a dark little thought the whole time, hoping Teacher Xie would lose balance or fall. I admit I’m bad—but I’m just a girl shipping a CP! What’s wrong with me?!]
[Sister Xie, I know you’re strong-willed, but don’t be strong yet… because your strength is coming.]
[Ahhhh princess carry, ahhhh Xie & Kill-the-Donkey!!]
“Old Shen.”
Under everyone’s expectant gaze, Xie Mi’s expression was serious as she spoke to Shen Yanqing:
“Don’t step on me.”
Shen Yanqing: “?”
Director Niu: “?”
All staff: “?”
Before anyone could figure out what she meant, Xie Mi nimbly went prone and began crawling along the rocky path.
Even the highly trained resort manager almost lost composure.
But as a top-class resort manager, he could not show the slightest disrespect to a guest. So even in this abstract situation, he politely asked:
“Hello, would you like me to help you climb?”
