The Salted-Fish Alpha and the Actress Got Their Marriage Certificate - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

‘The Garden of Retreat’ is a major celebrity outdoor reality show, also known as ‘No Effort, No Food’.

It promotes a return to nature and the leisurely rural life, dragging big-city celebrities to do manual labor.

For instance, they chop firewood in summer, carry water in winter, rush to early markets to sell vegetables, and even learn to drive tractors for plowing.

The production team limits the participants’ spending, and failure to complete tasks results in punishments, like going hungry.

Many guests end up disheveled and exhausted, a stark contrast to their usual glamorous selves. Of course, some handle it with ease and gain countless fans in the process.

The show has solid ratings and is now in its second season, with five regular guests per season and the occasional one or two special guests.

Ye Cike was roped into being one of those special guests.

She had only heard a few passing mentions of the show from Liu Su, and she hadn’t even glanced at the program brief Ning Lan sent her. She just grabbed her small suitcase and hopped on the plane.

After all, she wasn’t there to gain fans—she just wanted to coast through the next few days and look out for Xi Ling while she was at it.

In late May, the sun in S City was already intense. The production staff bustled about, packing up expensive equipment to load onto the vehicles.

Xi Ling arrived early, standing quietly under the sunlight, her fair skin practically glowing.

Her thick lashes fluttered slightly as she offered a gentle smile to the man in front of her.

Meng Gujin started to feel smug. He figured he had a shot—Xi Ling might be famous, but she was just a delicate omega, and omegas were naturally drawn to alphas. She’d be easy to win over.

Meng Gujin flashed what he thought was his most considerate smile and said softly, “Xi Ling, this is our first meeting, right? I’ve heard so much about you. I’ve been wanting to ask for some acting tips.”

Xi Ling nodded slightly, looking approachable.

“Sure thing.”

Meng Gujin’s face lit up, his throat bobbing as he prepared to press his advantage. But then, the sound of a suitcase being dragged across the ground came from behind.

A shiny silver suitcase rattled loudly over the pavement, as bold as its owner.

Ye Cike wore a loose top, her straight-leg jeans rolled up at the ankles, her usually loose hair tied back into a ponytail. She didn’t look like she was there for a reality show—more like she was heading on vacation.

A closer look would reveal she wasn’t even wearing makeup, relying entirely on her natural beauty.

Walking straight up to Xi Ling, Ye Cike said coolly, “Meng Gujin, this is our second meeting, isn’t it? I regret not getting to chat properly last time.”

‘I regret not finding evidence to send you to jail.’

Meng Gujin’s smile froze, and he coughed awkwardly.

“Ye Cike, it’s you. So, it seems like Xi Ling is the only omega among the six of us?”

He forcefully steered the conversation back to Xi Ling.

Xi Ling gave a soft smile, while Ye Cike’s fingers tapped the handle of her suitcase, her face cold and unresponsive.

Seeing this, Meng Gujin continued, “As alphas, it’s only right that we look out for Xi Ling. Of course, we should respect her wishes too.”

He spoke of care and respect, maintaining his gentlemanly persona even without cameras rolling, drawing Xi Ling’s frequent glances.

But his slightly clenched hands betrayed his nervous mood, as if he were making a statement to someone.

After his long spiel, Meng Gujin sought Ye Cike’s approval.

“Don’t you agree, Miss Ye?”

Ye Cike brushed him off impatiently, “Oh, sure, sure, you’re the shining star of alphas.”

“…”

Stung by her sarcasm, Meng Gujin promptly shut up.

“Miss Ye, you’re this episode’s special guest? What a coincidence,” Xi Ling said, as if unaware of the suddenly tense atmosphere, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Ye Cike.

Her tone carried genuine surprise and delight at the reunion.

Caught by her gaze, Ye Cike’s icy demeanor nearly cracked. She almost smiled back but managed to hold it in.

Lowering her eyes to hide the curve of her lips, Ye Cike gave a soft “mm.”

Xi Ling smiled and said, “Last time, you said we’d meet again if we got the chance. I didn’t expect it to be so soon. Did you know about this and keep it from me, hmm?”

“No, no way,” Ye Cike stiffened, quickly denying it. “I only just got the notice.”

Her words felt guilty, and she turned to glance at the staff in the distance, avoiding Xi Ling’s eyes. She missed the fleeting mischief on Xi Ling’s face.

“Where did you get that lemon candy, Miss Ye? Can you share the shop with me?”

Ye Cike hadn’t expected Xi Ling to bring up the candy. She froze for a moment before answering slowly, “Homemade. I didn’t bring any today. If you want more…”

She wanted to say Xi Ling could come to her place to get some, but the words wouldn’t come—they weren’t that close yet.

In the end, Ye Cike mumbled, “If you want more, I can send some to your studio.”

Xi Ling nodded with a reserved smile, not refusing.

It wasn’t long before everyone arrived. The other three were betas: a pair of girl group sisters and a seasoned male actor.

The cameras were ready, and after the clapperboard snapped, filming officially began.

After the six introduced themselves, the director grinned and shouted through a megaphone, “This time, we’re heading to a small village. You’ll pair up, and each pair gets 200 yuan for living expenses to last three days and two nights. The pair with the least money left will face a punishment.”

The sisters groaned dramatically in sync. Two hundred yuan sounded decent, but knowing the show’s twisted sense of humor, there’d be plenty of ways to burn through it besides food and drink.

“Pairing is voluntary. Everyone will first share what preparations they’ve made and what skills they bring, then choose teammates based on that. Let’s start with our only omega, Xi Ling, to pick.”

This was blatant favoritism, but no one objected.

Xi Ling was too famous—even the male actor with twenty years in the industry couldn’t compare.

Most of the cameras would focus on Xi Ling, so whoever teamed up with her would get some of that spotlight.

Except for Ye Cike, everyone had their own agendas. Meng Gujin, in particular, tilted his head and gave Xi Ling a smile that could pass for refined and elegant.

Ye Cike gritted her teeth at the sight.

The male actor went first. He had an honest, friendly face, always smiling, and treated people kindly.

“I studied wilderness survival skills.”

Ye Cike’s mind reeled. ‘Wilderness survival? Isn’t this a farming reality show?’

Next, the sisters and Meng Gujin chimed in, throwing out things like “I brought a copy of ‘Qimin Yaoshu’,” “I’ve got a toolbox in my bag,” and “I watched a week of agricultural channels.”

One absurd phrase after another popped up, leaving Ye Cike in a daze until Xi Ling stepped forward, snapping her back to reality.

Xi Ling stood beside her, her figure graceful and delicate, her eyes sparkling like scattered stars, looking genuinely happy.

“I won’t hold anyone back. This time, I specifically studied ‘Rice Transplanter Operation Techniques’, ‘Farm Machinery Maintenance and Care’, and ‘Tractor User Manual’.”

Ye Cike: ‘Wait, what machines?’

She almost thought she’d misheard. Xi Ling looked so fragile, like a breeze could knock her over. The idea of her on a bulky, rustic machine was too much—Ye Cike couldn’t even picture it.

But if she did, Xi Ling would probably look stunning anywhere, even in a garbage heap, pure and untainted.

After everyone else finished, all five turned to Ye Cike.

She kept a blank expression, staring straight ahead, pretending not to feel Xi Ling’s gaze.

Preparation? What preparation? The night before, she was at home sleeping and gaming. The only thing she’d done was pack an extra box of suppressants.

She said calmly, “I can cook.”

It was utterly ordinary, with no competitive edge among the flurry of flashy skills.

But Ye Cike didn’t care who Xi Ling picked—as long as it wasn’t that hypocrite Meng Gujin.

“You don’t seem like the type,” one of the sisters suddenly leaned in, her almond eyes wide with exaggerated surprise. “Ye Cike, you’re known as the ice queen! I can’t imagine you cooking. Is it good?”

“It’s good,” came a clear, gentle voice, answering before Ye Cike could. It was Xi Ling.

Her slender fingers lightly touched her rosy lips, her gaze fixed on the girl in front of her. “I’ve tried it.”

Ye Cike knew she meant the lemon candy.

But Xi Ling’s fingers pressed slightly into her soft lower lip, pale skin against vivid red, lingering, her eyes glistening. It made Ye Cike’s heart skip half a beat.

This couldn’t just be about lemon candy.

“Really? I’ve got to try it sometime,” the sister said with a grin, stepping back.

The group bantered a bit more, but Ye Cike barely listened. She scolded herself—why couldn’t her imagination stay on track?

Once the introductions were done, the director spoke up, “Xi Ling, have you decided?”

“Everyone’s so well-prepared, all so useful. It’s hard to choose,” Xi Ling said, her hands clasped in front of her, head tilted in thought.

Her gaze swept over the five, and Ye Cike couldn’t help but follow.

The sisters were lively and probably had plenty to talk about, but they seemed as delicate as Xi Ling—likely useless for physical work.

The male actor was steady and reliable, with a good reputation, but he was old enough to be Xi Ling’s father. Wouldn’t she feel awkward with him?

As for Meng Gujin, he was pure trash.

Xi Ling glanced at Meng Gujin, who joked, “There’s a lot of physical work here. Why not consider me, Xi Ling? As an alpha, I’m pretty capable.”

His peach-blossom eyes sparkled with a smile, like a clear breeze under the moon, a look that had won him plenty of fans.

But while he seemed open and honest, the faint scent of sandalwood had already drifted around Xi Ling.

It was an alpha’s pheromone.

Ye Cike’s face turned cold. Some people looked proper but had no shame!

Anger simmered in her chest, and a light lemon scent surged, overtaking the air, driving out and swallowing the sandalwood with a clear warning.

Sweat beaded on Meng Gujin’s forehead. The gap between him and Ye Cike was vast—her top-tier alpha pheromone pressure felt like needles piercing his nerves, forcing him to retract his own.

The silent battle ended in seconds, with Ye Cike ready to pull back her pheromones.

But the fresh, pleasant lemon scent didn’t fade. It seemed to have a mind of its own, lingering around Xi Ling, refusing to dissipate.

Ye Cike’s eyes trembled, her hands at a loss, unable to reel it back in!

One second, she was calling Meng Gujin shameless; the next, she was the shameless one. The sudden shift made her earlobes burn faintly.

“I choose…” Xi Ling looked up at Ye Cike, her voice soft and drifting, “Ye Cike.”

Ye Cike, still reeling, stepped back instinctively. “Huh?”

Maybe it was her imagination, but Xi Ling’s eyes seemed even more luminous, shimmering like spring water.

Xi Ling frowned. “You don’t want to?”

Ye Cike hurried to clarify, “No, of course I do. I just didn’t expect you to pick me, Miss Xi.”

“Maybe it’s the looks,” one of the sisters chimed in. “You two look great together.”

Ye Cike’s gaze darted around, half-wishing for a mirror to check if her earlobes were as red as they felt.

The lemon scent in the air had vanished at some point. Xi Ling didn’t explain why, but she stepped lightly to Ye Cike’s side, smiling warmly.

“Still calling me Miss Xi? So formal.”

Ye Cike opened her mouth silently, then lowered her voice.

“Xi Ling.”