Chapter 41
The love-rival battlefield really came out of nowhere.
Caught between the raging flames from both sides, Xie Mi sighed helplessly, braced her hands, and shoved the two of them flying apart. With righteous grandeur, she declared, “Continue! Next round!”
[Sir, so righteous!]
[That’s our Old Xie—if it were me, I’d have long since lost my mind]
[But I still want to see the love-rival drama though (crying)]
The second round: beach volleyball.
The program team divided the area into zones, with the two groups standing on opposite sides, ready to arrange their formations.
“I’ll take command.”
This time, Xiao Jingxi spoke. “I’m good at all kinds of ball games. The guys will stand at the back to receive, the girls just stay up front and don’t move.”
“But if the front row doesn’t receive the ball, it’s basically like we’re missing a layer of defense. The other side has two layers, and we only have one. Doesn’t that put us at a huge disadvantage?”
Liu Woxing asked.
Xiao Jingxi insisted: “The biggest taboo in volleyball is failing to receive a ball you shouldn’t have touched. Better to do nothing at all. Don’t worry, I’m good at volleyball. I can handle it.”
Hearing that, Liu Woxing fell silent.
Shen Yanqing, however, let out a light chuckle. “Then how does Film Emperor Xiao determine what’s ‘receivable’ and what’s ‘unreceivable’?”
Xiao Jingxi frowned, clearly annoyed. But since it was Shen Yanqing, he couldn’t openly offend him.
So he resorted to nonsense: “If you can play, it’s receivable. If you can’t, then it’s unreceivable.”
“So you’re just assuming women can’t play?” Shen Yanqing countered smoothly.
For a moment, Xiao Jingxi choked, facing the burning gazes of the three women. He stiffly argued, “They don’t have any signs of athletic training on them.”
That settled it, in his mind.
Xie Mi only smiled without commenting.
It was obvious he just wanted to show off—so let him.
After all…
She had just noticed one of the girls on the opposite team handling the ball with very professional technique.
“Five balls per side, begin!”
At Director Niu’s order, the girl opposite served first, tossing the ball high before smashing it down hard.
Whoosh—!
The volleyball shot forward like a bullet, carrying heavy pressure.
Normally, Xie Mi in the center would’ve received it, but she obediently crouched down, letting it pass to the back—right to Xiao Jingxi.
Xiao Jingxi charged with all his might, ready to redeem his dignity with one decisive swing—
Bang!
Xiao Jingxi was blasted off his feet by the ball.
“Guest team loses one point!”
The entire court went silent, all eyes on Xiao Jingxi, whose head was half-buried in the sand.
The Film Emperor had embarrassed himself publicly—no one dared laugh.
Except Xie Mi, who was rolling on the ground clutching her stomach. When she looked up, she saw Shen Yanqing laughing too.
[Uh… what…]
[No way, I literally started recording to capture Film Emperor Xiao’s handsome moment just now, and you give me this death scene?!]
[If I’m not mistaken, didn’t Film Emperor Xiao just literally fly off the court…]
[Hahahahahahaha sorry I can’t hold it in anymore]
“Our strategy doesn’t seem to be working very well,” Liu Woxing said tactfully.
Xu Shuangrong was the first to rush forward and help Xiao Jingxi up. She quickly defended him: “Actually, what Jingxi said isn’t wrong. If we don’t know how to play and recklessly try to receive, it’ll just increase risk. He was only thinking of us.”
Xiao Jingxi gave her a grateful look. But when he turned toward the laughing Xie Mi, his face darkened again, cheeks burning hot.
“The position was bad just now, I couldn’t perform. Let’s go again.”
He had to save face.
The game resumed. This time it was their serve. Claiming he was best at volleyball, Xiao Jingxi volunteered, tossing the ball high and smacking it with all his strength.
This was—
The dignity gamble serve!!!
Bang!
The assistant director jumped up and lightly tapped it back. The ball floated lazily down at Xu Shuangrong’s feet.
“……”
Silence blanketed the court.
Xu Shuangrong turned innocently. “I was being obedient. I didn’t receive.”
Even though that ball was so slow a three-year-old could’ve caught it.
Xiao Jingxi’s mouth twitched, unable to say anything. He had told them not to receive—he couldn’t slap his own face now.
Xie Mi, however, was greatly amused.
As expected of a black lotus, Xu Shuangrong. A moment ago she comforted Xiao Jingxi, and the next she proved his strategy wrong through action.
A subtle act of revenge.
“Sure you don’t want to change tactics?” Xie Mi crossed her arms and raised a brow.
Xiao Jingxi pressed his lips tightly. “And what if I change? Even if I let you three girls receive, would it really turn the game around?”
Qiu Chengye, a staunch chauvinist, strongly agreed. “If we men can’t win, you women definitely can’t. When it comes to sports, men are naturally more talented.”
The two of them had really found common ground.
Xie Mi was about to retort when Shen Yanqing suddenly leaned weakly against her.
“I’m no good at sports, Teacher Xie… help me.”
Xiao Jingxi and Qiu Chengye’s faces both changed at once.
That slap in the face rang loud and clear.
Xie Mi curved her lips into a grin, patted the 185cm “little wife” in her arms, and said, “Don’t worry, daddy’s got you.”
She and Shen Yanqing switched places.
Xiao Jingxi and Qiu Chengye were visibly displeased, but since Shen Yanqing himself had requested the change, they couldn’t object.
They could only warn Xie Mi: “You should avoid receiving as much as possible. If the ball comes to you, dodge and let us handle it.”
Xie Mi flipped them the middle finger.
The third ball began. The opposing team, noticing the change in positions, deliberately targeted Xie Mi. After all, she looked like an obvious weak spot.
“Get out of the way!” Xiao Jingxi yelled, charging toward her.
But Xie Mi swept his legs out from under him, sending him sprawling, then leapt up for a decisive spike!
Bang!
The ball grazed past the assistant director’s face. He stood frozen, trembling violently.
Wh-what a terrifying hit!
Even Director Niu’s voice carried disbelief: “Production team… loses one point.”
“Nice!” Liu Woxing ran over to high-five Xie Mi, her usually gentle face bursting into a bright smile.
Catching Xie Mi staring at her, she quickly realized her slip and added awkwardly, “I was just… too happy.”
“You look really good smiling like that,” Xie Mi grinned, before whirling back to shout at the other side, “Come on! Next!”
Liu Woxing paused, her eyes curving unconsciously as she softly answered, “Mm.”
Xu Shuangrong, watching all this, felt her gaze darken.
The match continued. Xie Mi stopped hiding and went all out, showcasing her superb skills—and wickedly targeting the assistant director every single time.
Wherever he stood, that’s where she spiked.
The opposing team’s expert had to keep colliding into the assistant director to save the ball. His pitiful cries echoed throughout the game.
Although Xiao Jingxi and Qiu Chengye were shocked by her skills, they still didn’t want to be overshadowed, so they scrambled to intercept.
The result: their eagerness led them to crash into each other—losing yet another point.
Furious, Xie Mi delivered a spinning flying kick, sending them both out of commission.
“Get lost!!!”
