Chapter 282
Liu Woxing’s words—“I really like it”—made Xie Mi certain that, at some point in the past, a piece of the storyline had quietly shifted.
As for what triggered that change, and whether it was connected to Xu Shuangrong later getting her chance to time-travel, she had no way of knowing.
But…
Having one less childhood shadow was always a good thing.
“Come on, let’s see who gets to the top first!”
“Eh? Me? There’s no way I could beat Teacher Xie.”
“Then I’ll race Old Shen, and you can bet on it. Who do you think will win?”
“I’ll bet on Teacher Xie.”
Shen Moqing had just gotten out of the car. “That was a very quick answer.”
“Sorry, Mr. Shen. You just look like someone who definitely can’t beat Teacher Xie.”
“Your judgment is accurate.”
Lai Bingxuan, who was still busy competing with Qiu Chengye, noticed the fun happening nearby and came over.
“What are you guys talking about? Betting on what?”
“Teacher Xie and Mr. Shen are racing to see who reaches the top first,” Liu Woxing explained. “I bet on Teacher Xie.”
Xie Mi enthusiastically beckoned her little cash cow over.
“Miss Lai, want to place a bet too?”
Of course, Lai Bingxuan had overheard their conversation long ago, but she deliberately pretended not to know, waiting for Xie Mi to invite her. Hearing the words, she snorted lightly.
“Fine, I’ll join in. Doesn’t matter who I bet on, I’ll just do eenie-meenie-minie-moe… Okay, you it is, Xie Mi.”
“Great, that makes two supporters for me. Seems everyone acknowledges my strength. Old Shen, you should be feeling some pressure.”
“Is it too late for me to switch sides now?”
Their banter made Liu Woxing laugh uncontrollably, which immediately caught Qiu Chengye’s attention.
After being ignored the whole day as if he were invisible, Qiu Chengye was annoyed to see Liu Woxing now laughing so happily with the others.
He strode straight over, without sparing Liu Woxing a glance.
“So you’re racing to see who gets to the top first? I’ll join too. Now, everyone who placed bets earlier can re-bet.”
Lai Bingxuan: “Why re-bet? Your participation won’t affect the outcome.”
Liu Woxing also smiled, using the gentlest tone, “No one cares.”
“You guys—” Qiu Chengye gritted his teeth, glaring especially hard at Liu Woxing. “You’ll regret this!”
[Clearly this group gets hyper at night]
[Elementary school playground vibes confirmed]
[Climbing a mountain while joking and laughing on the way to see a meteor shower—this really does feel like group spirit]
[I really love this atmosphere]
At first, they could still chat along the way, but halfway up most people were already getting tired.
Climbing was, after all, physically demanding.
Even Qiu Chengye, who had been boasting at the foot of the mountain about “small hills being nothing,” had fallen silent by now.
“Hang in there, everyone. We’re almost there!” Director Niu encouraged the group.
The crew members filming were huffing and puffing too. The live stream footage was dim and shaky, enough to show how tough the climb was.
Xu Shuangrong watched the scene, her mind stirring.
Exhausted staff, a steep path, the poor visibility on camera because of the darkness—
It all seemed like a perfect setup for her to do something.
Despite her deliberate friendliness these past few days, Xie Mi had kept her guard up. Xu Shuangrong knew superficial gestures wouldn’t move her.
The best way to gain Xie Mi’s trust was still [gratitude].
Only when Xie Mi felt genuine gratitude toward her would she fully lower her defenses.
Another hour and a half passed. With stops and starts, they finally reached the summit around 11:30.
Most of them were completely exhausted, barely able to speak.
But since they would be camping overnight on the mountain, they still had to pitch tents later. For now, they could only rest briefly.
The crew also began setting up their equipment, everyone busy with their own tasks.
During this break, Xu Shuangrong sought out Xiao Jingxi, who had been deliberately sticking close to Xie Mi all day.
Feigning anger, she said: “Could you stay away from Teacher Xie a little?”
The moment Xiao Jingxi saw it was her, his eyes filled with unmasked disgust.
“What business is it of yours what happens between me and Xie Mi? If it weren’t for you, she and I would still be fine.”
“You’re the one who wasn’t steadfast in your feelings. This is just your self-inflicted result, so stop pretending to be the victim. You’re clinging to Teacher Xie now just to win her back and restore your reputation, aren’t you?”
Both of them had removed their microphones and were quarreling in a corner out of earshot of the audience.
“Give it up already. Haven’t you noticed? No matter how close you tried to get to Teacher Xie today, she treated you like air. In her eyes, you’re no longer as important as Mr. Shen. Nothing you do will change that.”
Xu Shuangrong continued: “If you’re thinking of scheming, like deliberately taking intimate-looking photos with her to spread online and create misunderstandings, it’s nothing but a pipe dream.”
“Because once the show finishes filming, with Teacher Xie’s personality, you’ll have no chance of seeing her again. And during filming, cameras are everywhere—you’ll still have no chance.”
“Face the fact that your reputation is ruined. With this scandal hanging over you, you’ll never be A-list again.”
With that, she turned and left.
As expected, Xiao Jingxi was provoked.
Ever since his school days, he had been admired for his looks; after debuting, fans had practically placed him on a pedestal. He was almost always the center of attention. The thought of carrying an inescapable scandal for life was unbearable.
Somehow, he had always felt his life was meant to be smooth sailing—adored and praised by all, while he himself adored just one person, making the world envy them both.
That, he thought, was the life he was supposed to have.
But Xu Shuangrong’s words struck him hard.
From Xie Mi’s attitude toward him today, it seemed she really had turned her attention toward Shen Moqing.
Shen Moqing was too calculating, too skilled at pleasing her. If Shen got ahead of him…
The consequences would be disastrous.
Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help recalling Xu Shuangrong’s earlier remark—
Deliberately taking intimate-looking photos of himself and Xie Mi to spread online, blurring the public’s perception of their relationship.
It actually… seemed like a decent plan.
“Sis, do you still have chocolate?” Yu Jinzhe suddenly came up beside Xie Mi and asked.
Xie Mi guarded her pocket warily. “If you want to eat, buy your own.”
“It’s not for me, it’s for Miss Lai.”
Yu Jinzhe shook his head. “Just now Miss Lai looked unwell. She said she was going to the side to throw up, but she still hasn’t come back. Maybe it’s low blood sugar.”
