Reborn, I Became a Male God - Chapter 91-95

In the beginning, this was a proper wilderness survival reality show. By the second day, it suddenly transformed into a food program, and shortly after, the style shifted again, becoming a tourism promotion program. It finally stabilized for a few days, and everyone thought it could wrap up perfectly, but who would have thought there’d be yet another change on the last day.

 

Looking at the silhouette of the young man under the sunlight, seemingly outlined with a golden edge, the cameraman was momentarily distracted. He was pondering, how could the style of this show change so quickly? Not to mention everything before, just in that short while earlier, how exactly did it shift from a crazy virtual reality fishing game to a public service advertisement reflecting on animal protection within a second?

 

The cameraman thought about it for a while and felt that instead of saying the nature of their program changed, it was more accurate to say that the style of the person he was following had been different from the start. After all, while everyone else was busy stuffing all kinds of food into their backpacks, he was seriously picking the tools needed for wilderness survival—rope, a small knife, fish hooks, fishing line, plus a lighter and a water cup. Just these few items, not even a bottle of mineral water, yet by the end, he turned out to be the one living the best, even more comfortably than the people from their production team.

 

Qiao Qiao was also an exception. When they first divided into groups, although no one openly said it, everyone didn’t really want to team up with her, thinking girls were more delicate and would be a burden. When the final grouping was decided by drawing lots, the others probably all breathed a sigh of relief, thinking whichever team she was in was basically marked with a “last place” label. But no one expected that Jing Ling seemed like he was cheating, as if there was nothing he couldn’t do, and even with Qiao Qiao tagging along, they still maintained a clear lead.

 

It was undeniable that Qiao Qiao being able to live so well was indeed thanks to Jing Ling, but her own efforts also played a role. She couldn’t fish or catch fish or pick coconuts, but she worked hard to share the tasks. Unable to catch prey, she processed the food. Except for the first two days, all the fish Jing Ling caught were handled by her. From being flustered and screaming at the beginning, to later being able to kill a fish smoothly, scale it, and remove its guts without changing her expression. She had originally planned to handle roasting the fish and making soup by herself too, but Jing Ling felt she didn’t need to do so much, so in the end, the two of them shared the work, taking turns every other day. And there was the issue of drinking water. After the mineral water she brought and the coconuts Jing Ling picked were exhausted, they had to pick more. The trees were over ten meters tall, but she still tried climbing up, and her persistence paid off. Although she only picked two due to exhaustion, it was enough to maintain her own survival.

 

Qiao Qiao, initially seen as a burden, wasn’t actually worse than anyone else.

 

The setting sun sank, and night soon fell. On the final night of the program recording, no one cared about the group divisions anymore. Just like the first night they arrived, they lit a bonfire, six people sitting around it, grilling fish and lobster over the fire, stainless steel lunchboxes and cups filled with fresh coconut juice, and a basket woven from vines holding wild fruits.

 

On a whim, Jing Ling wove a set of grass skirts for everyone using palm tree leaves and coconuts.

 

A bonfire party, a wild celebration.

 

The flickering flames were the only light source, and the figures interwoven with light and shadow revealed an exotic flair.

 

The long night shed its seductive evening gown and transformed into the goddess of dawn. The “Wilderness Survival” program officially wrapped up recording, and everyone set off to leave the deserted island. Before leaving, the production team cleaned up the week’s worth of generated trash and packed it away.

 

The boat docked at Coconut Island’s port, where Shen Ze had been waiting for a long time. Walking at the front were Yu Leyang and the others, with managers, team members, and assistants swarming forward, blocking the view in an instant. But he still caught sight of Yu Leyang’s miserable state—hair a mess, stubble on his face, dark circles under his eyes, his complexion haggard, and he even seemed to be floating slightly as he walked.

 

He had been very worried about Jing Ling, but the production team didn’t allow others to follow, so he could only fret helplessly. After finally enduring a week, he could finally see him, yet the first sight was such a negative example. Great, the little peace of mind he had just managed to regain shot right back up to his throat. He couldn’t help but wonder if Jing Ling had suffered a lot, unable to eat well, drink well, or sleep well. He was only eighteen, still growing—could it have any bad effects… A whole bunch of random worries filled his head as he pushed through the crowd to find his artist.

 

But he had only taken a few steps when he heard a familiar voice, “A Ze, kept you waiting.”

 

Hearing that, Shen Ze looked over and saw the tall young man standing in the crowd with a travel backpack, smiling at him. Though his appearance was a bit disheveled, it was clear he was in great spirits. All those worries he had just entertained didn’t exist at all.

 

Compared to Yu Leyang, it was simply two extreme contrasts.

 

Shen Ze was speechless for a moment. So basically, all his worrying these days had been for nothing. The kid looked like he had lived better than him. Shen Ze himself had developed dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep, while over there, it was still full of youthful collagen, though some of that was naturally due to being young.

 

“You’ve worked hard!” In the end, he could only squeeze out those three words, because he really couldn’t say anything else. Saying things like “you’ve gotten thinner, darker, more haggard” was objectively true for Yu Leyang, but applying those to Jing Ling would require lying through his teeth.

 

“Not hard at all. A free one-week island trip, it was super fun!” The young man laughed.

 

Shen Ze: “…Shut up, thanks!” Even standing far away, he could feel the sharp, knife-like gazes from Yu Leyang’s team. If looks could kill, they’d probably be riddled with holes by now.

 

Sure enough, he really shouldn’t have worried about this little brat. Every time he managed to piss him off to the point of jumping with rage, and his ability to attract resentment was still top-notch!

 

After returning to the hotel, Jing Ling showered and changed clothes, then called Yunshu.

 

“Finished recording?” Yunshu asked, sounding a bit tired.

 

“Mm, finished.” Jing Ling replied simply.

 

“I want to see you,” Yunshu said. “I watched the last season of ‘Wilderness Survival’ online. Wilderness survival is really tough. By the end, everyone looked completely exhausted, like a different person. I read online that this season’s conditions were supposed to be even harsher. Did you get hurt?”

 

“I want to see you too,” Jing Ling said as he hung up the call and started a video chat on Penguin. After Yunshu accepted, Jing Ling saw her through the screen. Just as he had thought, her voice sounded tired, and naturally, her complexion wasn’t great either. There were visible dark circles under her eyes—who knew how many nights she had stayed up.

 

“Work really busy?” he asked.

 

Yunshu shook her head. “The colleagues at the office said it’s usually fine, but it’s just that there’s a leadership transition going on recently, so it’s been hectic…”

 

Halfway through her sentence, another voice interrupted, “Yunshu, the director’s calling you!”

 

“Okay, I know!” She responded, then explained to the screen, “Jing Ling, I’ve still got work to do here. I’ll call you after I finish.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Yunshu’s luck hadn’t been great. She happened to run into the Chashan government’s once-every-three-years leadership change. Although the personnel had long been decided, the formalities still had to be followed. With the election imminent, various documents, reports, and materials had to be prepared, along with dividing electoral districts, distributing ballots, collecting them, and so on, constantly revised back and forth. The government was already understaffed, and now they practically wanted to use one person as two. Yunshu, who had just arrived, got pulled in as extra manpower too, working overtime almost every day. Her biological clock was a mess, and dark circles were inevitable.

 

After hanging up the video call, she went to the director’s office next door and got another task.

 

In the office two doors down, Qian Wei came over to complain to Liu Dan with a miserable face, “I’m seriously going crazy. The draft keeps getting revised over and over, and still can’t be finalized! I had something planned for this week, but the chairman insisted I stay to work overtime, saying what difference does it make where you date, bring your boyfriend to the government, work and date at the same time, two birds with one stone. Damn it, where the hell do I even have a boyfriend!”

 

Yunshu couldn’t help but laugh when she heard that. Bringing a boyfriend to work overtime was basically free labor, and they even made it sound so noble—two birds with one stone. The people upstairs were really creative.

 

What she didn’t expect was, Qian Wei’s “boyfriend” didn’t show up to work overtime. Instead, it was her own boyfriend, who, after hanging up the video call, immediately booked a plane ticket from Jiang City to Lianshan. After that, he transferred to a bus to Lianhu County. He had originally planned to surprise her, but when he asked at the government office, he learned that his girlfriend had been assigned to an even more remote township. So, he could only catch another bus, traveling stop by stop, finally arriving at Chashan Town around 8 p.m.

 

The gatehouse door was already shut, with only light spilling from the window, and the electric gate left about an eighty-centimeter gap for people to pass through.

 

Jing Ling stood under the dim streetlight and called Yunshu.

 

“Done with work?”

 

“Almost, I just have two more forms to finish counting, then I can leave.”

 

“I’ll bring you some late-night snacks. What do you want to eat?”

 

“…Huh? Bring snacks?”

 

Before Yunshu could react, another voice chimed in, “I want some too! Get me a fried rice and a milk tea, I’ll pay you when you get back.”

 

“No, he…” Yunshu tried to explain.

 

“Sure, how many people in your office are working overtime? I’ll bring enough for everyone. Thanks to them for taking care of my Yunshu,” Jing Ling said with a smile.

 

“You came to Chashan?” Yunshu’s tone was a bit disbelieving.

 

“Mm, came to see you.”

 

“Where are you?”

 

“Almost there. I’ll call you in a bit.”

 

Yunshu genuinely thought he was still on the way. After hanging up the phone, she was even discussing with her colleagues about going out for late-night snacks later. But after a while, when she didn’t get Jing Ling’s call, she dialed him herself to ask. That’s when she heard the familiar ringtone ringing from the hallway.

 

 

Chapter 92

 

 

The girls in the office were initially unsure whether Yunshu had a boyfriend.

 

But instinctively, they all felt that someone this beautiful, perfect from head to toe in bold capital letters, couldn’t possibly still be single. But the wolves in the unit refused to give up.

 

They firmly believed in the truth that as long as you swing the hoe well, there’s no corner that can’t be dug down. Every day, they’d loiter around the office door to get familiar, one after another, like they were attending a market fair. It wasn’t until the director, fed up, scolded them that things quieted down a little.

 

So these wolves started probing Liu Dan and the others on chat apps, trying to find out Yunshu’s hobbies. One after another, they asked, message notifications popping up non-stop. The office girls were so amused they almost laughed out of frustration. They had only known each other for a week—how could they possibly know her hobbies? It’s not like they were doing intelligence work.

 

The office was as busy as a spinning top with the triennial election approaching. They finally made it to Friday, only for the upstairs leadership to order everyone to stay for overtime, resulting in waves of wailing. But complaints aside, they still had to stay. After lunch in the afternoon, they all returned to the office for overtime.

 

They worked straight from afternoon till nearly eight in the evening. Because she didn’t like the food at the cafeteria, Liu Dan had only eaten half a bowl of rice and was feeling a bit hungry. She was thinking of asking everyone out for barbecue after finishing work, but before she could speak, she heard Yunshu say she was bringing supper. Liu Dan instinctively thought Yunshu was talking to a colleague and casually asked her to bring a portion of fried rice, not realizing that Yunshu had just joined and didn’t know many people.

 

A few seconds later, she realized Yunshu was probably talking to a friend and felt a bit embarrassed. “Yunshu, no need for the fried rice. I was just saying it casually.”

 

While still on the phone, Yunshu looked up, “It’s fine. He happens to be coming over. Just say what you want to eat, and he’ll bring it.”

 

Liu Dan raised an eyebrow, “Boyfriend?”

 

Yunshu nodded, “Mm.”

 

“Then I won’t be polite!”

 

“Okay.”

 

Though Liu Dan said that, she wasn’t really impolite. She just ordered a fried rice, a few grilled vegetables and meat skewers, and a cup of milk tea. The cost of living in Chashan was low; all that together didn’t even add up to thirty yuan.

 

Also working overtime in the office were Lu Jiajia and Qian Wei, and Director Luo from the next office was still busy too. After Yunshu asked everyone, she felt it was too much to carry, so she simply decided to invite everyone out for food after work. None of the colleagues objected, so she told Jing Ling.

 

The latter replied with a simple “Okay.”

 

Yunshu didn’t dwell on it, asking where he was. Jing Ling casually mentioned a place he passed by. Yunshu wasn’t familiar with the area and asked Liu Dan, learning it was only about a ten-minute drive away. After telling him the location of Chashan’s government building, she hung up.

 

About twenty minutes later, when the office work was almost done, Jing Ling still hadn’t called, making Yunshu a bit worried. So she called him. As the dial tone came through the receiver, a familiar ringtone also echoed from the hallway.

 

Yunshu froze, then immediately got up from her seat, rushed around the desk to the door. In her hurry, she knocked things over, papers scattering across the floor. She had to stop and tidy up. Just as she bent down to pick up a couple of documents, she noticed the ringtone was already very close, and the light around her dimmed slightly, as if something was blocking it.

 

There were also surprised voices from her colleagues.

 

She slowly looked up and saw the young man dressed casually, a pair of black-framed glasses perched on his nose, holding a large bouquet of bright red roses, the buds still closed with tiny droplets of water on them, giving off a faint fragrance.

 

“You’ve worked hard,” he said, handing the bouquet to her.

 

Yunshu instinctively straightened up and reached out to take the roses. Then she saw him squat down, using his slender, beautiful fingers to pick up the scattered documents, stacking them neatly on the desk.

 

“What’s all the fuss, done with work?” Director Luo from the next office walked in, speaking.

 

“Director, look, roses!” Liu Dan pointed toward the corridor by the wall.

 

Chashan was poor and underdeveloped. Though there was a flower shop in town, it mainly sold greenery and potted plants. Roses like these only sold a few during special holidays. To buy such a large bouquet, roughly estimated at the classic TV-drama count of ninety-nine, Liu Dan had worked in government for two years and it was still her first time seeing this.

 

Even Director Luo, who rarely watched idol dramas, was seeing someone nearby receive so many flowers for the first time. His first thought was, “These flowers must’ve cost a lot, right?” After a pause, he continued, “You must be Yunshu’s boyfriend?”

 

Jing Ling nodded, “Mm. May I ask your surname, Director?”

 

“No need to be formal, surname Luo.”

 

“Director Luo, nice to meet you. I’m Jiang Yang. Yunshu’s new here. Thank you all for taking care of her these past few days. She mentioned wanting to treat everyone to a meal. It’s my first time in Chashan and I’m unfamiliar with the area, so I’d like to trouble Director Luo to recommend a place. Would that be okay?”

 

“No problem!”

 

In the end, Director Luo recommended “Leave a Hand Grilled Fish,” just two hundred meters down the road from the government building. Everyone quickly wrapped up their work, shut down the computers, locked the office, and got off work.

 

There were still people on weekend duty at the government building. The lights in several downstairs offices were on, and probably hearing the chatter, they opened their doors to look.

 

“Liu Dan, where are you guys going?”

 

“Overtime’s done?”

 

“You’re just leaving? Who am I supposed to get to sign off now?!”

 

Coincidentally, the three who spoke were all guys—three single dogs with impure motives.

 

Liu Dan had been pestered by them these past few days. Hearing this, she saw her chance and answered, “Yunshu’s boyfriend came to see her and is treating the office to dinner. Want to come too?” Translated, it meant—she really does have a boyfriend. Don’t believe it? Come see for yourselves. Tall, handsome, and judging by appearances, probably from a good family.

 

“We’re coming!”

 

“Wait for me, I’ll be right there!”

 

“Shutting down the computer now!”

 

Joking aside, those determined to dig corners wouldn’t give up so easily. It took less than three minutes to shut down computers, turn off lights, lock doors, and the three neighboring offices joined the dinner crowd.

 

The group crossed the government courtyard, exited the gate, walked two hundred meters down the road, crossed a street, and arrived at “Leave a Hand Grilled Fish.”

 

Inside glass tanks filled with oxygen were fish of all sizes. With a total of nine people, they picked the biggest fish. It was slaughtered and cleaned on the spot, then set over the fire to grill.

 

“I don’t know everyone’s taste, so please feel free to order whatever you like,” Jing Ling smiled. “Don’t be shy.”

 

“Great, we won’t be polite!” Liu Dan laughed, pulling Lu Jiajia and Qian Wei along to pick dishes.

 

Director Luo offered a cigarette.

 

Jing Ling shook his head, “I don’t smoke, thank you.”

 

Director Luo didn’t insist, stuck the cigarette between his lips, and lit it with a lighter. After a puff, he asked, “You don’t smoke, but do you drink?”

 

Jing Ling nodded, “I do.”

 

“How’s your tolerance?”

 

“Pretty good.”

 

“Wanna compete?”

 

“Sure.”

 

So they ordered two cases of beer. The three guys obviously could drink, and upon asking, the girls could too. This didn’t surprise Jing Ling. He had worked at grassroots level before; he knew how it was, especially in offices—not only was the daily workload heavy, but when there were inspections or visits from higher-ups, they had to entertain. Rarely did anyone firmly refuse, so girls working here inevitably drank a little.

 

With nine people at the table, eight could drink, so Yunshu couldn’t just sit aside. But Jing Ling emphasized, “My Yunshu is allergic to alcohol and can’t drink, but since we’re treating everyone tonight, of course, we’ll have fun. She’ll join, but any rounds she loses, I’ll cover for her. Also, I hope everyone can look after her at work. Thank you all in advance, especially Director Luo!”

 

After speaking, Jing Ling opened a bottle, poured himself a glass, and downed it in one go.

 

Liu Dan, sitting next to Yunshu, listened to his words and saw him drain the glass, then leaned close to Yunshu and whispered, “Your boyfriend is so considerate, I’m jealous!”

 

It was genuine envy. Not only was he tall, handsome, and rich, but he also had such a great personality—caring and considerate—the typical gentle, wealthy male lead from idol dramas.

 

“Curious how you two met? In school?”

 

Yunshu shook her head, “No, we met at a friend’s birthday party.”

 

Liu Dan’s mention reminded Yunshu of that unbelievable encounter. She had thought more than once: if she hadn’t gone to Jiang Sijin’s birthday party, or if she had gone earlier or later, or if she hadn’t stopped to offer them a ride while driving by, would she have never met Jing Ling?

 

The more you cherish something, the more you fear losing it.

 

“That’s fate!” Liu Dan sighed.

 

As soon as she finished speaking, a male colleague on the opposite side called out, “Nine in hand! Three scoops, on time!… Let me see, K, thirteen, Yunshu!” As he spoke, he scooped three ladles of alcohol into a bowl and handed it to Jing Ling.

 

Jing Ling took the bowl and drank it all without changing expression.

 

By the time the grilled fish was ready, they had already gone through more than half the beer. Jing Ling and Yunshu had bad luck tonight; the points often landed on them, and they had to drink a lot. After several rounds, half the alcohol had gone into Jing Ling’s stomach.

 

Yunshu was a little worried, leaning over to ask if he was okay, suggesting he stop if needed. But Jing Ling shook his head, pointing to his face, “Don’t worry, I can hold my liquor, a thousand cups without getting drunk. Look, my face is still the same color.”

 

Yunshu stared at him for a few seconds, then softly asked, “You didn’t disguise yourself today?” As she spoke, she instinctively reached to touch that area, finding it smooth.

 

Jing Ling chuckled, “No. With such a beautiful girlfriend, how can the boyfriend not be handsome? I came a bit rushed today, didn’t have suitable materials, so I just did a quick touch-up.” As he spoke, he suddenly turned his head and kissed the palm of her hand.

 

 

Chapter 93

 

 

Jing Ling’s movements were swift and unexpected. It wasn’t until the warmth of his breath and a faint moist sensation reached her palm that Yunshu realized what had happened. Though it was just a kiss on the palm, a mere brush that was gone in an instant, to an outsider it might’ve looked like an accidental touch — but her face still flushed red in that moment. She hurriedly withdrew her hand, her gaze sweeping over the faces of those at the table. Thankfully, they were all drinking or chatting. Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, her eyes met Liu Dan’s beside her. The other girl’s eyes curved like crescent moons, and a teasing smile hung at the corner of her mouth — it was obvious she had seen through the situation.

 

“I forgot my glasses today, didn’t see a thing,” Liu Dan even added softly.

 

The moment of awkwardness turned to speechlessness. Yunshu replied, “Please, you don’t normally wear glasses either.”

 

“Hehe!” Liu Dan laughed.

 

Yunshu turned back and shot Jing Ling a glare.

 

He was smiling too, his eyes behind the plain lenses filled with indulgence.

 

The others truly hadn’t noticed anything at first, but now they all turned to look. Inside the cramped private room of the barbecue shop, the dim light from the bulb hanging down from the ceiling cast a cheap atmosphere over everything — yet it only made the pairing of handsome men and pretty women even more eye-catching.

 

Needless to say, it was pleasing to the eye, though not everyone was willing to admit it. For example, the three guys who had joined the group later. They didn’t even qualify as potential love rivals, at most just nobodies with zero chance — but even nobodies had their pride. It didn’t matter if you lost on the battlefield of love, winning some pride back in the battlefield of drinking was still acceptable.

 

Among the three guys, one named Guo Fei was somewhat skilled at playing cards. He exchanged looks with the other two, winking and signaling, then stood up and pulled the cards over, making a small move while shuffling them.

 

Guo Fei thought he was slick, but to Jing Ling, it was child’s play. After all, he had once swept through major casinos, ultimately landing himself on the top of the blacklist.

 

But Jing Ling didn’t expose him, merely watching Guo Fei’s movements for a couple of seconds. The other guy clearly had poor mental fortitude — under Jing Ling’s gaze, his hand trembled slightly, and his face turned a little pale. Jing Ling had excellent hearing. After looking away, he clearly heard the sound of Guo Fei breathing a sigh of relief.

 

In the new round of the game, Guo Fei finished shuffling and went first. “An ace in hand, it’s prime time, one big bowl!” He flipped over a card as he spoke. Five points. Counting clockwise from him, it landed right on Jing Ling.

 

One of his accomplices lifted a bowl of liquor and handed it to Jing Ling. His smile was restrained, but the schadenfreude in his eyes was unmistakable. He even asked, “Want help drinking some of it?”

 

Jing Ling’s expression didn’t change as he smiled and shook his head. “No need, thanks.” With that, he accepted the bowl and downed it in one go.

 

According to the rules, the person who drank continued to draw and reveal a card. After drinking, Jing Ling set down the bowl, casually reached out to draw a card, and placed his bet before flipping it. “Prime time, one big bowl. Let’s see who gets it. Hopefully not me, and hopefully not my Yunshu.” As he finished, he revealed the card — one point higher than Guo Fei’s — and counting clockwise, it landed right back on Guo Fei.

 

“Wow!”

 

“Hahahahahaha!”

 

“Guo Fei, your luck’s trash — you just passed it off, and now it’s right back to you!”

 

Everyone burst into laughter, even Guo Fei’s two accomplices chuckled unkindly.

 

Guo Fei didn’t suspect anything. He cheerfully accepted the bowl and, unwilling to lose face, drained it in one breath.

 

Then it was Guo Fei’s turn again to draw. Since he had shuffled the deck, he was confident. Even if he couldn’t trip up Jing Ling, at least it wouldn’t land on himself. So he directly raised the stakes. “Prime time, two big bowls!” He flipped the card — it wasn’t Jing Ling, of course, nor was it himself. It landed on one of his accomplices.

 

The latter also suspected nothing, merely blaming his bad luck. But two big bowls — even if it were water, drinking that much would make your stomach bloat, let alone alcohol. His face twisted as he forced himself to finish the drinks in several rounds.

 

The game that followed took a strange turn. The cards were flipped again and again, yet they almost always landed on the group of guys, especially Guo Fei and his two accomplices. Whenever Jing Ling drank one bowl, at least one of the three had to drink one as well. By the time the round finished, all three of them were completely drunk, their faces flushed, eyes hazy, barely able to sit upright.

 

At first, Yunshu had been worried about Jing Ling, but as the game went on, she realized something was off. The game had turned into a 3v1 — Guo Fei and his two buddies versus Jing Ling — yet they still lost miserably. They were so drunk they could barely function, while Jing Ling’s expression hadn’t changed at all, his eyes clear and sharp with no hint of drunkenness.

 

The claim that he could drink a thousand cups without getting drunk was clearly not an exaggeration.

 

And it wasn’t just Yunshu — the others noticed too. But everyone loved a good show, so no one exposed anything and simply watched from the sidelines.

 

In the end, Director Luo gave Jing Ling a thumbs-up. “When I asked about your drinking tolerance earlier, you told me it was average. But looking at you now, this is far from average! Where do you work? Interested in applying around here? You can take care of your girlfriend nearby — we need talent like you!”

 

Hearing this, Yunshu looked at Jing Ling curiously, wondering how he would answer. Then she saw him lie with a straight face, “Thank you for the compliment, Director, but I just got into graduate school this year. No rush about work for now.”

 

She understood the meaning behind Jing Ling’s words almost instantly. She had graduated this year and been assigned to Chashan. By saying he got into graduate school, he was subtly implying that they were of the same level. His outfit today also leaned toward a more mature style, making him look a few years older than his actual age.

 

All of this was because he was worried that in a remote, underdeveloped place like Chashan, people might not be accepting of relationships where the woman was older, worried that others would look down on her with prejudice.

 

This consideration — she hadn’t even thought of it herself. Because Jing Ling always carried himself with a maturity beyond his years, not to mention his looks — a nearly flawless face that fit most people’s aesthetic standards — and his gentle, considerate personality, all shrouded in a layer of mystery.

 

He was also in the entertainment industry, with a crowd of fans cheering for him. It was hard to imagine someone like that, the favored child of the heavens, being this considerate.

 

Fans often joked that whoever married their idol must have saved the world in their past life.

 

Yunshu thought, she probably saved the entire galaxy to have the fortune of meeting someone like him.

 

By the time they finished eating, it was already past ten. After Jing Ling paid the bill, he packed up the three drunkards and dropped them off at a nearby hotel, then helped Yunshu escort the girls home. They all lived in government-provided dormitories. Following the fork in the road at the entrance, they turned a corner and saw a newly paved road — one side covered with asphalt, the other still gravel — leading straight to the dorms, about a ten-minute walk.

 

On both sides of the road were resettlement houses for relocated families. Many houses, few people. There were no streetlights, and most families had already gone to bed. Luckily, the moon was bright in the sky, and the occasional passing car’s headlights lit up the road.

 

As they walked, Yunshu said to Jing Ling, “This morning, Qian Wei and I went to visit impoverished households in the village. The mountain roads were winding endlessly. We drove for a long time, yet outside the window, it was still mountains upon mountains. When we got there, the houses were low, with green-tiled roofs, still burning firewood. The rooftops were blackened by smoke. The two children were wearing patched clothes, lying over the desk doing their homework…”

 

Just like how sunlight could never reach certain corners, no matter how wealthy a country became, there would always be people struggling at the subsistence level. Jing Ling had traveled to many places in the world, yet never encountered a so-called utopia.

 

“So now you have one more goal to work hard for — not just pursuing gender equality, but also helping more people live better lives.”

 

“You… know?” She had always thought that when Jing Ling said he supported her, it was merely respecting her wishes. She hadn’t expected him to truly understand what she wanted.

 

“Mm, I know.”

 

“Do you… think my ideals are ridiculous?”

 

“No. Yunshu, I told you before, no matter what you want to do, you can go for it without hesitation. I’ll always be by your side, somewhere you can see as soon as you turn around.”

 

“You walked a lot today in the village, didn’t you?” Jing Ling suddenly changed the topic.

 

Yunshu nodded, “Mm.”

 

As soon as the words left her mouth, she saw the person beside her take a long stride forward and squat down, “Come on, I’ll carry you.” After a pause, he even comforted her, “It’s late, we won’t run into anyone we know.”

 

Yunshu hesitated for a few seconds, then walked over, wrapping her arms around his neck, her body gently leaning onto his back. The young man’s back was broad, and with one arm under her knees, he steadily stood up, carrying her along the empty street.

 

Chashan in September still had pleasant weather. The night breeze brushed against them, carrying the faint scent of some unknown flower.

 

Since there weren’t suitable government dormitories available, and she didn’t have time to look for an apartment, Yunshu had been staying at a town hotel for the past week.

 

After walking down the forked road and reaching the highway, she didn’t let Jing Ling carry her any further. They walked up the road for several dozen meters and arrived at the hotel. Beside the entrance was the front desk, where a teenage girl sat. Seeing Yunshu return, she greeted her with a smile. Then, looking at Jing Ling beside her, she exclaimed enviously, “Your boyfriend is so handsome!”

 

Right after she finished speaking, the handsome young man casually pulled out his ID and placed it in front of her, “One room, next to Yunshu’s.”

 

The girl: “…”

 

Yunshu: “…”

 

In the end, under the astonished gaze of the receptionist girl, the two of them walked through the hotel’s corridor and up the stairs. For the first time since they started dating, Yunshu felt a little embarrassed, but also deeply moved.

 

The third-floor stairs were quickly climbed, and they arrived at her door. Swiping the card to open it, she stood at the doorway, hesitating for a few seconds before finally mustering the courage to look up at Jing Ling and say, “Actually… it’s okay…”

 

Jing Ling reached out and pulled her into his arms, his gentle voice whispering in her ear, “Yunshu, we still have a long life ahead of us.” After speaking, he pressed a kiss onto her hair. “I like you.”

 

 

Chapter 94

 

 

Yunshu had seen a saying online before—


“I used to be able to carry a bucket of purified water up several floors with no problem, but ever since I got a boyfriend, I can’t even unscrew the bottle cap.”


Back then, she didn’t understand. It’s just being in a relationship, is it really that exaggerated? Even her own father wouldn’t necessarily have that kind of patience, let alone a boyfriend.

 

She thought, even if there really was someone who could take care of you so meticulously, it must be some kind of money-for-service relationship.

 

But after meeting Jing Ling, her thoughts gradually began to change.


Until today, she too could tell a story of being spoiled to the heavens.

 

Last night when they returned to the hotel, Jing Ling unexpectedly booked a separate room for himself. Facing the curious look from the front desk girl, she couldn’t help feeling a bit awkward. But the words he said at the door, that kiss that fell onto her hair, and that soft “I like you” completely soothed her heart.

 

After exchanging goodnights, she went back to her room, showered, changed into pajamas, and turned off the lights to sleep.

 

Early the next morning, not long after she woke up, there was a knock at the door—it was Jing Ling. She thought he had something to discuss, so after briefly tidying herself up, she opened the door. The young man stood at the door bathed in morning light, the smile on his face as gentle and warm as a spring breeze.

 

“This is for you,” he said, holding two things up in front of her.

 

Yunshu was momentarily dazed, then lowered her head to look.


A small, exquisitely crafted wooden comb lay in his palm. The ancient, deep color carried a hint of solemnity, the luster and grain were beautifully textured. Delicate patterns were carved onto the comb, with a small hole at the edge, from which hung a strand of light blue tassel.

 

She took it, lifted it to her nose, and sniffed. A faint yet lingering fragrance slowly dispersed.

 

It was sandalwood.

 

“When did you buy this?” she asked, unable to hide the joy in her voice.

 

“I made it myself,” Jing Ling replied. “Before we went to film the show, I asked A Ze to buy the raw materials and carving knives for me. I gave it a try whenever I had free time. Do you like it?”

 

Yunshu nodded repeatedly, “I love it!”


It wasn’t just liking—it was loving it to bits.

 

Then she heard him laugh and ask,
“Beautiful lady, may I have the honor of combing your hair?”

 

His smile was so handsome, it seemed to carry an irresistible charm.

 

The tips of Yunshu’s ears flushed slightly. She gently nodded, “Okay.”

 

After entering the room, Jing Ling opened the curtains, then the windows, and moved a chair in front of the window, letting her sit down. The morning air was fresh and carried a slight chill, drifting in through the window, making the curtains sway softly, brushing lightly across her face.

 

Faint reflections could be seen on the window glass. The tall, upright young man stood behind her, holding the delicate little sandalwood comb in his slender, attractive hands. His fingers picked up a strand of long hair and combed it all the way down. His movements were so gentle, as if he were handling a precious treasure.

 

She watched him lift strand after strand of hair, weaving them little by little from the crown of her head, finally braiding it neatly behind her.

 

“Done,” he said, his voice as gentle as always.

 

Yunshu got up and went to the bathroom to check.


She discovered that Jing Ling’s handiwork was truly impressive. Even if she did it herself, it wouldn’t be any better.


She should’ve been happy, yet for some reason, she suddenly felt a bit upset.

 

“What’s wrong? Don’t like it?” The young man’s reflection appeared in the mirror, leaning lazily against the doorframe, with a faint, captivating charm between his brows.

 

She looked at him through the mirror for a few seconds, then lowered her eyes slightly and asked softly,
“Have you braided other girls’ hair before?”

 

After asking, she sneakily glanced over.


In the mirror, she saw him slightly stunned for a moment, then suddenly smile. Smiling, he walked in, stood behind her, stretched out his long arms to pull her into his embrace, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

 

“No. You’re the first… and the last. Last night I watched tutorial videos all night, just so I could perform better in front of you. Look, I even got dark circles under my eyes.”

 

Upon hearing this, Yunshu really looked carefully. Actually, she couldn’t see any dark circles at all, but she still believed him.


Suddenly, she turned around, cupped his face in both hands, leaned in, and planted a kiss on his eyes.


“Sorry, I shouldn’t have overthought it.”

 

“No need to apologize. Getting jealous is a girlfriend’s right—it means you care about me. I couldn’t be happier.”

 

This little episode delayed them a bit. Afterwards, Jing Ling waited outside while Yunshu brushed her teeth, washed her face, did her skincare routine, changed into new clothes, and the two of them went downstairs together.

The front desk girl watched them leave, still puzzled.

 

After crossing the road and walking a short distance uphill, they turned right into an area of abandoned buildings. The central plaza’s fountain had long dried up, exposing the bottom. After walking halfway around, there was a road branching off, connecting to a newly built avenue that was still under construction and not yet open to traffic. No matter the time of day, it was very quiet.

 

This was where Yunshu ran in the mornings.


It used to be vast tea fields, which was also where the name “Chashan Town” (Tea Mountain) came from. But that was all in the past. The continuous stretches of tea mountains had now been replaced by newly built avenues, paved plazas with colorful bricks, and surrounding unfinished construction. Only half the mountain slopes on either side of the road still had tea trees. During the tea-picking season, you could see tea farmers weaving among them.

 

After working here for two days, her colleague Lu Jiajia had taken her for a walk here once, and since then, Yunshu came here every morning to run for half an hour—along the avenue and back again.

 

But before, she always ran alone.


Today, Jing Ling accompanied her.

 

After running, they went back to the hotel to freshen up, had breakfast at a street-side shop, and then walked along the street to the government office for overtime.

 

It wasn’t yet nine o’clock; no one else had arrived. She unlocked the door, opened the curtains, let in some fresh air, and then walked to her desk, bending down to turn on the computer.

 

She had originally intended for Jing Ling to sit nearby and wait, maybe watch some news or dramas if he got bored. But instead, he asked,
“What are you working overtime for?”

 

Without thinking much, she replied,
“A few spreadsheets and entering some data.”

 

“I’ll do it. You just tell me what I need to be careful about.”

 

So when Liu Dan and the others walked into the office, still looking groggy from sleep, they saw Yunshu’s boyfriend sitting at her desk, fingers dancing across the keyboard at lightning speed, though his expression remained a little nonchalant.


Meanwhile, Yunshu sat at the desk beside him, wearing headphones as if watching a movie, snacks on hand, occasionally feeding some to the boyfriend next to her.

 

Liu Dan didn’t think much of it and casually asked,
“Yunshu, how much data have you entered?”

 

“Jing… Jiang Yang is helping me enter it.”

 

A tall, handsome, rich, gentle, and considerate boyfriend, not only good at handling drinking occasions, but also willing to help with overtime the next day.


Liu Dan suddenly thought of a phrase—


Cold, merciless dog food being slapped onto her face.

 

Perfect. She instantly sobered up from sleep.

 

Jing Ling stayed in Chashan for two more days.


He helped Yunshu finish her overtime work, treated several of her office colleagues to a meal, and asked them to help introduce suitable housing. With the information provided by the colleagues, it was easy to find a good place. After a brief discussion, they signed a rental agreement. He then contacted a moving company to transport the furniture and custom-made flower racks from their house near Lianhu County Police Station.

 

Yunshu could finally check out of the hotel.

 

On Monday morning, after sending Yunshu to work, Jing Ling hailed a car and left.

 

Because Shen Ze had been roaring over the phone for him to get his ass back and reshoot some footage.


The word “ass” was even used, showing how furious he was.

 

“Your girlfriend, girlfriend, girlfriend! The moment you have free time, all you think about is your girlfriend! Can’t you spare a thought for me?!”


One could easily imagine Shen Ze on the other end of the line, completely ignoring his image, eyes wide in anger.

 

“Sorry, I have no intention of developing a relationship with you beyond business partners and normal friends,” Jing Ling replied seriously.

 

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end, followed by a new round of stormy roars,


“Jing Ling, you little bastard! Get your ass back here— the farther the better! This time, I’m serious!”

 

Jing Ling began coaxing,
“Alright, A Ze, I was wrong~ You mentioned before you had good news to tell me, what was it?”

 

“Nothing! Get lost!”

 

“A Ze~”

 

“I forgot!”

 

“A Ze~”

 

“…It’s about the Bauhinia Film Awards.”

 

The Bauhinia Awards, along with the Pegasus Awards and Huazhang Awards, were known as the Republic’s three major film awards. Anyone with a Best Actor or Actress title at least had one of those under their belt.

 

The good news Shen Ze mentioned was a nomination for the Bauhinia Awards.


Of course, not for Best Actor, since Jing Ling’s first and so far only film, Island, released during the May holidays, had him as a supporting character, not the lead. So the nomination was for Best Supporting Actor.

 

The 39th Bauhinia Awards, scheduled for October 31st, had announced the nomination list on the afternoon of September 1st. As the highest-grossing film of the year so far, Island received six nominations, including Best Supporting Actor.

 

But by that time, Jing Ling had already left to film the show, so Shen Ze enjoyed the good news alone for a long time.


He had been eagerly waiting for Jing Ling to come back so he could tell him, but as soon as Jing Ling returned to the hotel, he disappeared again.

 

Shen Ze guessed immediately—it must have been after Jing Ling called Yunshu.


A quick confirmation call later revealed the truth—Jing Ling had rushed to buy a plane ticket to see his girlfriend.

 

Absolutely infuriating!

 

And the next day, the production team came looking for him, saying they needed to reshoot some scenes. Unable to produce Jing Ling, Shen Ze had to stall and say he had something urgent and might need two days.

 

Surprisingly, the production team was very easygoing about it.

 

But even so, Shen Ze was still furious.

 

Still, despite his anger, he endured until the weekend passed before calling Jing Ling to come back.


But even after all that patience, that little bastard Jing Ling deliberately provoked him—


Completely unforgivable!

 

Chapter 95

 

 

Shen Ze had initially been worried that filming Wilderness Survival would be exhausting, so he planned to let Jing Ling rest for a few days after the shoot before talking to him about work—a balance of work and rest, after all. But now, he was so angry that he didn’t want to be nice to this little bastard Jing Ling anymore.

 

“Sorry, aside from good news, there’s also bad news—which is, you’re about to turn into a penniless pauper!”

 

Of course, that was an exaggerated way of putting it. But in reality, Jing Ling didn’t have much money to begin with. In the year since his debut, he’d only done one web drama, one movie, and two variety shows, one of which was still in post-production. When he acted in The Song of Eternal Joy, Shen Ze wasn’t his agent yet, so he didn’t know how much he got paid. But according to rumors in the industry, he received a seven-figure paycheck at the time. After the show aired on Nanzhou’s platform and became a massive hit, topping both major charts, the investors also gave him a seven-figure red envelope.

 

Later, after signing with Hongguang Films and being managed by Shen Ze, his first movie was The Isolated Island, with a post-tax paycheck of two million. After filming wrapped but before the movie aired, plenty of drama crews came knocking—both for web dramas and television series—and the offers weren’t low. But Shen Ze wasn’t interested, because he believed Jing Ling had the potential to become a superstar. If he took those poorly made, cash-grab scripts, it would only lower his standards—a black mark on his record for sure. Aside from dramas, there were also companies approaching with endorsement deals, but many were shady, unlicensed products. Though there were legitimate companies as well, other aspects of the deals were unsatisfactory.

 

After rejecting all of that, Shen Ze held his breath and waited for the movie to be released. When The Island premiered on May Day, it became both a box office and critical success. As one of the main actors, Jing Ling’s performance was recognized by both the industry and the audience, and his market value doubled overnight. In August, he filmed A Day with My Idol, with a per-episode rate of 600,000 yuan after tax. After the show aired, both ratings and buzz hit record highs, and Jing Ling’s value soared along with it. As a result, when filming Wilderness Survival later on, the production team was once worried he might back out. That was because his contract with Wilderness Adventure had been signed based on his previous market value, and no one had expected things to change so dramatically in just half a month. 

 

There had been similar incidents before, where a celebrity unexpectedly rose to fame, became dissatisfied with their earlier contract, and though they wouldn’t break the contract outright, they would use uncooperative behavior to force the production team to raise their pay.

 

This money all sounded like a lot, but by the time it actually reached Jing Ling’s hands, there wasn’t much left. A significant chunk had to be taken out for the company and his agent’s cut. If he hadn’t, unlike others, maintained a lean team without throwing money into excessive marketing and hype, he would’ve been a penniless pauper long ago.

 

“You think dating is easy? Plane tickets, hotels, gifts—which of those don’t cost money? And looking long term—cars, houses, a luxurious wedding—if you don’t work hard and earn money, do you think those things will just fall from the sky?!”

 

“So hurry up and get your ass back here to work! Immediately! Right now!”

 

After a furious rant, Shen Ze directly hung up the phone.

 

After flying from Lianshan back to Jiangcheng, Jing Ling changed clothes, put on some makeup, and started reshooting scenes according to the production team’s requirements. By around 8 p.m., they were basically done, only needing to film two special shots the next day to officially wrap up.

 

He had dinner with the production team, but from beginning to end, Shen Ze never showed his face. He was nowhere to be seen during filming the next day either. Looked like he was really furious.

 

There was no helping it—Jing Ling had to take the initiative to find him.

 

Not answering calls? Not opening the door? None of that was a problem for Jing Ling. After all, they were staying in the same hotel, on the same floor, in neighboring rooms. He waited for Shen Ze to open his door, then quickly slipped inside ahead of him.

 

“You…” Shen Ze stood by the door with his room card in hand, looking at the person standing inside. Although he was still angry, there was also a hint of helplessness.

 

“Since I’ve so obediently dragged myself back here to work, A-Ze, can’t you stop being mad? But speaking of work, there’s definitely more than just this, right? What else?” Jing Ling smiled, then raised his right hand. “I brought your favorite crayfish. I even know how to peel them. How about we eat while we talk about work?”

 

Only then did Shen Ze notice what he was holding, and after hearing what he said, he could only feel a wave of exasperation wash over him. “I’m not your girlfriend. Besides, I’ve got hands of my own, thanks!” Though he said that, he didn’t kick him out.

 

Jing Ling placed the food on the table, opened it, arranged it neatly, and handed over disposable gloves.

 

“Hmph!” Shen Ze snorted, took the gloves, sat on the stool, and started focusing on eating the crayfish. As he ate, he noticed a few peeled crayfish had appeared in front of him, perfectly intact, right under his nose. He glanced at the person opposite him—the young man had his head lowered, his expression focused as he peeled the shells, not even looking at him. Shen Ze finally couldn’t resist, reaching out his hand even though he knew he was just fooling himself.

 

“Two TV dramas. The first is the sequel to last year’s popular palace intrigue costume drama, with the original production team returning. The female lead has been replaced by one of the top starlets, Zhang Ruyu. It’s scheduled to air during prime time on Zhongzhou Satellite TV. The role they’re offering you is the second male lead—a gentle, infatuated, eternal backup lover type. The other is also a costume drama, telling the story of a prince of humble origins growing into an emperor who sweeps across the land and unites the world. Sounds pretty passionate. The production team isn’t as strong as the first one, but still decent. Unfortunately, the role they’re offering you isn’t the male lead either—it’s from the villain camp, and a particularly hated character at that.”

 

It’s said that people soften when they’re fed. Shen Ze wasn’t that mad to begin with, and now that he was eating his favorite food, his anger completely dissipated. He explained the situation to Jing Ling as he ate.

 

“Sounds like neither of those are great opportunities,” Jing Ling replied, peeling another crayfish and placing it in front of him. “But since you mentioned them, I’m sure you have your reasons. Let’s hear it.”

 

“Exactly.” Shen Ze nodded. “For most newcomers, that first role is considered a good opportunity. But you’re not like them. You started with a high profile. Your debut was a web drama, but you were the male lead. Then you landed Director Gu’s movie. I don’t want you taking a step backward. Personally, I prefer the second project—but only if it’s the male lead. I’ve looked into it—the producers are negotiating with Zhou Yihang for the male lead. He’s got slightly more experience than you, having played the second male lead in two satellite TV dramas, both of which had pretty good audience feedback.”

 

“I originally thought there was no hope, but a few days ago, the nominations for the Bauhinia Film Awards were announced. You’ve been nominated for Best Supporting Actor. The results will be out by the end of October. Before that, Wilderness Survival will air. If the ratings are good, that’ll be another bargaining chip. I think there’s still room to fight for it.”

 

The Bauhinia Film Awards were one of the three major awards. The Best Supporting Actor category was highly prestigious, especially considering this was Jing Ling’s first movie.

 

“Okay, I’ll definitely work hard to win!”

 

“Working hard is useless now. The result is entirely up to the judges!”

 

“Oh.”

 

After more than half a month of post-production, the variety reality show Wilderness Survival aired on Jiangbei Satellite TV’s Friday prime time slot on September 25th. Even before it aired, the show had plenty of buzz—not just because of the fans drawn in by Season 1, but also because of the two guests: Jing Ling and Yu Leyang.

 

These two had originally had no overlap, but after The Island, not only did their fans fight tooth and nail, but Yu Leyang’s team even stepped in directly, releasing press articles to smear Jing Ling. Later, the two appeared together on A Day with My Idol, where Yu Leyang, unable to accept defeat, personally posted a cryptic Weibo implying Jing Ling had deliberately targeted him. Though the post was quickly deleted and he claimed his account was hacked, only his fans bought that excuse. Not long after, news broke that Yu Leyang would be joining Wilderness Survival last minute. The general public found this endlessly entertaining, grabbing their popcorn to watch the drama unfold.

 

During filming and production, entertainment news outlets frequently played up the feud between the two. As a result, when the show aired, many people tuned in specifically to watch the drama.

 

Right from the start, the production team stirred things up. The first to be introduced was Jing Ling. On-screen, the young man wore casual home clothes, practicing calligraphy. On the right side of the screen was his intro: Jing Ling, actor, representative works: The Island, The Song of Eternal Joy. 

 

Three clips followed—practicing calligraphy, reading, exercising—very fitting hobbies for someone his age. Next came Yu Leyang’s introduction, also labeled as an actor, with The Island listed among his representative works as well. His three clips showed him reading and exercising too—the difference being, Jing Ling was shown running while Yu Leyang swam, but both counted as exercise.

 

Li Fei watched the show while complaining in the group chat.

 

Justiceblurred: “Impressive, my show’s production team really knows how to stir the pot!”

 

Hua Hua Hua Hua: “I’ve been saying there was something fishy about that ‘guest fell sick’ excuse. Dead Fish’s fans were bragging about how the show invited their idol to save the day. But looking at this introduction order now—total slap in the face!”

 

BunnyCloud: “Kind of looking forward to what happens next [holds face emoji].”

 

While the different fandoms eagerly waited to watch the drama unfold, half an hour before the show aired, Qiao Qiao started a livestream. She chatted with her fans while promoting the show. She’d originally started livestreaming by playing games, but her skills were so terrible that even her fans couldn’t bear to watch. They suggested she switch to singing instead. With a nice voice and solid fundamentals, she quickly gained popularity.

 

Female streamers generally had a bad reputation, practically synonymous with selling s3x appeal. But Qiao Qiao was an exception. During her streams, she always dressed properly, with nothing in the background but her rows of succulent plants and cacti.

 

She opened with a customary greeting and sang the song most requested by her fans. The chat was well-moderated, and the comments were pretty friendly.

 

“Er Qiao is super cute today too =3=”

 

“Living up to your reputation—everything you raise dies. I see the third pot of succulents from the left has changed!”

 

“Cacti are immortal, succulents are disposable. Who knows how many pots you’ve gone through now? ┑(￣Д ￣)┍”

 

“Forty-one or forty-two?”

 

“Horrifying!”

 

Qiao Qiao was a plant killer—besides cacti, not a single potted plant survived more than a month under her care. Some fans even kept track of how many she’d killed, and the statistics were surprisingly amusing. After the usual round of teasing, someone in the chat mentioned Wilderness Survival, and she naturally began promoting it.

 

“Let me recommend this super fun reality show to everyone. This season is all about island survival—the style is absolutely wild!”