The Abused Heroine Stops Pretending [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 14

The Love Rival Has a Crush on Me

The mountain path was steep. At first, the climb was manageable, but the higher they went, the more their energy drained, and the slower they moved.

Tang Jing kept an eye on Meng Xue the entire time. When she noticed Meng Xue slowing down, she adjusted her pace to match, eventually suggesting, “Let’s take a break before we continue.”

Meng Xue didn’t insist on going on. She softly agreed and walked over to a relatively flat step to sit down.

Only after sitting did she realize how sore and weak her legs had become. Her throat burned and felt painfully dry from the heavy breathing earlier.

“Drink some water,” Tang Jing said, sitting beside her and pulling a thermos from her backpack.

The mountain air was cold at this time, so both of them wore jackets over their short sleeves.

After a few sips, her throat finally felt better. Meng Xue glanced back at the path they had climbed and frowned slightly. “I don’t know how far we’ve gotten.”

Tang Jing checked with one of the staff members and found out that they were already more than halfway there. Only about twenty more minutes of climbing remained.

Meng Xue let out a breath of relief. Knowing the end was in sight gave her reassurance and motivation.

After resting for around ten minutes, they tidied up and resumed the climb.

The tent had already been sent up ahead by the staff, so they only carried one backpack between them, filled with food. Tang Jing had been the one carrying it since they left the base.

Tang Jing extended her hand backward.

Meng Xue hesitated briefly before placing her hand in Tang Jing’s. Tang Jing’s hand was larger and warm, with a firm grip that gently pulled her upward.

Maybe it was because Tang Jing was guiding her, or maybe it was because all of her attention was focused on their joined hands, but the final twenty minutes of the climb passed by in a blur.

When they reached the top, Meng Xue was a little dazed. It felt like no time had passed at all. But she also knew that it was time to let go of Tang Jing’s hand.

Just as she was about to reluctantly release it, Tang Jing tightened her grip and looked back at her.

“The path up here is uneven. I’ll hold your hand so you don’t fall.”

Meng Xue paused, her hand half-lifted, then slowly grasped hers again. “Alright.”

The sky had already begun to lighten. The trail became clearer underfoot. From the mountaintop, they could see layers of distant peaks stacked upon each other like brush strokes in a traditional ink painting. The noise of the world felt far away, and their hearts quieted with the view.

Comments filled the livestream:

“Ahhh this place is so high up!”
“Tang Jing held Meng Xue’s hand the entire time.”
“Meng Xue looked at their hands at least twenty times on the way up.”
“If you didn’t know better, you’d think this was a dating reality show.”
“Another beautiful day of shipping Tang and Meng.”
“No way. The Meng-chasing-Tang ship will never sink!”

The phrase “Tang on top, Meng snowed under” suggested that Tang Jing was the dominant one while Meng Xue was more passive. The name play made fans curious.

In contrast, “Meng chasing Tang” reversed their roles, with Meng Xue taking the lead. The character “chasing” was interpreted by fans as a symbol of reversal, a playful twist.

Since the show Diverse Life aired, fans of both ships had grown quickly. In just one day, fan-made edits and videos were everywhere. Dedicated fan groups and trending hashtags had already formed online, and the number of CP (couple pairing) fans was doubling by the hour.

While fans were locked in shipping debates, the two women were busy setting up their tent in a clear space that the crew had prepared for them.

Since the sun had not yet risen, they worked quickly. Tang Jing led while Meng Xue helped. Their coordination was smooth, and before long, the tent was complete.

Meng Xue straightened her back and was about to relax when she noticed a glow on the horizon.

“Tang laoshi, the sun is coming up!” Her voice rose with excitement.

The audience, who had been growing sleepy, perked up instantly with her enthusiastic shout. Somehow, her energy was contagious.

Tang Jing quickly put down what she was holding and picked up the camera provided by the crew. She began filming the sun as it slowly crept over the horizon.

As the golden light spread, a new day began.

They had completed two of their goals: reaching the mountain peak and watching the sunrise. The next task was to spend the entire day on the mountaintop.

The pastries they had eaten earlier that morning were long burned off after the climb.

With the sun rising higher, the temperature warmed. They took off their jackets and sat beside the tent, enjoying the mountain view while eating pastries from their lunchboxes in peaceful silence.

The cameraman caught the scene from behind, framing their silhouettes against the mountains.

“This is such a stunning, poetic shot.”
“Even just their backs look sweet together.”

After sitting for a while, the sun grew stronger, and the two women started exploring the area.

The third task on their mission card was to stay on the mountaintop for a day, but it didn’t require them to sit in one place.

The mountain top was vast, and each vantage point offered a different perspective of the surrounding landscape. Tang Jing carried the camera, filming both the scenery and Meng Xue standing in the middle of it.

The sunlight bathed her in a soft golden glow that made it hard to look away. Through the lens, it felt as if everything was drawn toward her.

Without thinking, Tang Jing softly called her name. “Meng Xue.”

Meng Xue had been admiring the distant peaks. When she heard her name, she turned around. Her eyes were filled with wonder from the view, pure and beautiful. Tang Jing captured the moment perfectly.

By noon, the sun was high and the tent had become too hot. They left it and found a shaded spot nearby. They spread out a tablecloth, placed their food on it, and sat down to eat.

The soft sounds of insects, the occasional breeze, and the chilled fruit salad made for a relaxing scene.

“I haven’t felt this relaxed in a long time,” Tang Jing said as she leaned back on her hands, watching the sunlight flicker through the leaves above.

Meng Xue ate from her lunchbox, savoring the durian Tang Jing had prepared for her. She closed her eyes in contentment and nodded in agreement.

“Same here. Back when I was overseas, there were times I couldn’t even get a full night’s sleep.”

Tang Jing turned to look at her. Maybe it was the scenery, maybe it was the rare leisure, but there was a gentleness to her face, a light in her eyes. The dappled sunlight fell across her face and shoulders.

For a moment, Meng Xue wondered if it was all just a dream.

“Are you planning to build your career in the country from now on?”

Tang Jing’s voice brought Meng Xue back to reality. She lowered her eyes to hide the emotions that had nearly surfaced. Then she looked up again, nodded, and replied, “I lived there for five years, but it always felt like I was just drifting. It never felt like home.”

She smiled as she added, “Coming back felt different. On the flight home, I was so excited I could barely sleep. When I got off the plane, I almost cried.” Her voice lowered slightly, showing a hint of embarrassment.

It was that familiar homesickness and relief that every returning wanderer experienced.

“Staying in the country is a good choice,” Tang Jing said. “Sister Ying is a kind person. If you need anything, feel free to ask her.”

At that moment, viewers remembered that Tang Jing and Meng Xue shared the same agent.

Comments started pouring in:

“So, Tang Jing is taking care of Meng Xue because her agent told her to?”
“No, no, I refuse to believe that. I just want to ship them together.”
“Meng Xue just started working with her. Our Si Jia has been by Tang Jing’s side for five years.”
“Get lost. Even if it were ten or twenty years, your idol still doesn’t deserve to be with Tang Jing.”

The comment section was suddenly filled with bickering fans once again.

The assistant director monitored the stream nervously, genuinely worried that the audience might start stirring trouble.

Thankfully, the arguments died down quickly. On screen, Tang Jing and Meng Xue were lying side by side, and the peaceful image made everyone fall silent.

Tang Jing had a habit of taking afternoon naps. The weather was pleasant and the setting was peaceful, so she had been feeling sleepy for a while.

Since they had gotten up so early in the morning, this moment of rest was well-earned.

Meng Xue was not particularly tired, but she did not want to disturb Tang Jing. She figured there was no point in just sitting there, so she decided to take a short nap as well.

Tang Jing ended up sleeping for over an hour.

During that time, the production team asked Meng Xue to step aside for a quick interview.

When she returned, she saw that Tang Jing had woken up and was now sitting with her head slightly lowered.

“Tang laoshi?” Meng Xue approached her and called out gently.

Tang Jing responded with a quiet “Hmm?” She always looked dazed right after waking up, and now her eyes were still unfocused as she looked at Meng Xue.

In that moment, Meng Xue suddenly recalled the early morning scene in Tang Jing’s bedroom. Her face flushed red, and she looked around awkwardly, unsure where to rest her gaze. She quickly grabbed her bag, hoping to hide her expression behind it.

But the viewers had already caught her flushed face on camera.

“Why did Meng Xue blush when Tang Jing woke up?”
“I am betting something definitely happened between them during those minutes alone in the bedroom earlier.”
“Oh my goodness, what happened that we were not allowed to see?”

Even the staff on set were curious.

However, the show respected personal privacy. While there were cameras in the bedrooms, the artists had the right to cover them. So even though everyone was curious, no one knew what had actually happened.

Tang Jing sat in silence for nearly ten minutes before her mind cleared. Her usual cool and distant expression returned.

But the viewers had already seen another side of her. Her sleepy, soft look made her seem much more approachable. It made people want to tease her.

In the afternoon, the two of them followed the production team’s schedule and participated in a game.

After all, simply showing them sitting around or wandering would not be enough to hold the audience’s attention.

The game was called “Draw and Guess.”

“How many points is it worth?” Tang Jing asked bluntly, her tone completely serious.

The assistant director replied, “The winning team gets twenty points.”

“That is too little. I am not playing,” Tang Jing said firmly and turned as if to walk away.

“Haha, Tang Jing is so bold and direct.”
“This episode should be called ‘Too Little, Not Playing.'”
“Why is she this cute? I can’t take it.”

Meng Xue was caught off guard by her response. Seeing the forced smile on the assistant director’s face, she could not help but laugh behind her hand.

The assistant director tried to negotiate. “Fifty points. That is already a stretch.”

“One hundred,” Tang Jing replied with a completely uninterested expression.

“Eighty,” the assistant director countered, gritting his teeth and clearly in pain.

Tang Jing gave a small smirk and said, “Deal.”

The assistant director was left speechless. He had every reason to believe she had set him up for this moment.

But since the terms had been agreed upon, there was no going back.

Tang Jing turned to Meng Xue, meeting her bright smile. She tilted her head slightly as if to say, “Come on, let’s go earn our eighty points.”

Meng Xue immediately understood and followed her.

They were already a team, so no matter who won, the points would go to their group.

The assistant director was full of regret, but for the sake of the show’s entertainment value, he had no choice but to let it go.