In the home theater, Gu Mingyan and the livestream audience were baffled, watching these two suddenly get fired up.
【Pfft—what is this sudden shonen anime energy?!】
【Honestly, just two lines from Yun Qingqing and even us old fans are getting hyped.】
But because Ji Sihan had once been so flamboyant, he’d also accumulated plenty of haters.
At his peak, they stayed quiet for fear of backlash—but now that he’d retired, their pent-up malice found an outlet.
The warm, encouraging comments didn’t last long before some toxic voices popped up:
【LOL, selling the “struggling hero” persona again? Once unstoppable, now can only fantasize about a comeback.】
【Get over your peak already, don’t dream about going back. Yun Qingqing is reckless to bet on him, probably burning money for fun.】
【I think Yun Qingqing was just being polite; Ji Sihan really took it seriously, how ridiculous.】
The system indignantly read these mocking comments to her.
But Yun Qingqing was now a cold-blooded investor—she ignored all the negativity and focused entirely on calculating how much she could earn betting on Ji Sihan’s team.
“Heh… first international match comeback next year, upset victory, minimum odds 1:10. Bet 100k, earn 1 million; bet 1 million, earn 10 million…”
She was completely immersed in her financial projections.
System: 【…forget it.】 It stopped reading.
Meanwhile, the livestream trolls were quickly shut down by collective fan outrage:
【Haters, get lost! Where were you when Han God brought glory at his peak? Now you kick him when he’s down!】
【As an old fan, honestly, I never expected Apex to return. But thanks to Yun Qingqing, she gave Han Han some precious trust.】
【+1, whatever happens, this gesture is really heartwarming.】
….
The next day, the production team decided to stir up more mischief and issued a new task.
“Good morning, guests! Today’s mission is a sales challenge! You must head down the mountain to the scenic commercial street 10 km away and sell the items we prepared. The team with the lowest sales will be punished by hopping three times around the castle!”
The director put down the megaphone with a grin as groans echoed from the guests.
Yun Qingqing inwardly cursed the production team.
Ten kilometers in the wilds with no bus stop in sight—it was obvious they were being tortured.
She also knew, however, that this was exactly why the show was so popular: challenging guests and watching them find clever solutions was the main draw.
As the task was announced, everyone racked their brains for ways to get down the mountain.
The earlier you arrived, the more chance you had to sell. Transportation became the key.
Walking ten kilometers downhill was out of the question.
Ji Sihan and Nan Xu spotted a garbage truck ready to leave in the back garden. Nan Xu politely spoke to the driver, and they managed to hitch a ride.
The smell inside might not be great, but it saved time and energy.
Yu Ran and Jiang Mingqian searched the castle for usable tools.
After a while, all they found was a rusty bike with a broken chain and a dusty skateboard.
They fiddled with the bike but couldn’t fix it. In the end, they decided to risk it and skate down the hill.
Before leaving, Jiang Mingqian looked at Meng Xian with concern: “Meng Laoshi, how are you getting down?”
Meng Xian smiled faintly. In the past two days, Gu Mingyan had bought the castle, summoned helicopters, and generally shown off. Today, she was determined not to lose face.
She held back a little excitement and said: “Thanks for asking—I called a car.”
The camera gave a close-up of her phone screen: she’d booked a Koenigsegg Gemera through a luxury rental service, with a professional driver.
Viewers with knowledge immediately chimed in:
【OMG! That’s a limited-edition Koenigsegg! That car is insanely expensive.】
【Deposit alone is 1 million, daily rent 50k, add driver 10k! Meng Xian is flexing hardcore.】
【Spending tens of thousands just to get down a mountain? Classic rich girl move.】
【She’s so low-key usually, but her resources show when it counts.】
【Exactly, unlike some people who flaunt every penny they have.】
The chat was full of admiration for Meng Xian, with subtle shade toward Gu Mingyan.
Meng Xian casually glanced at Gu Mingyan and Yun Qingqing, a victorious smile tugging at her lips.
There was only one rental shop nearby, and she’d booked the top car. With Gu Mingyan’s pride, there was no way she’d settle for an inferior vehicle.
For now, the two would be stuck.
Meng Xian felt a rush of satisfaction imagining Gu Mingyan frustrated by the lack of transport.
But just as she was savoring that, her smile froze slightly.
Yun Qingqing had somehow fixed the abandoned old bike that Jiang Mingqian had given up on. She even wiped the rear seat clean with a cloth.
Then, with a few streaks of black smudges on her cheek, she excitedly pushed the bike toward Gu Mingyan: “Miss, your personal ride is ready—please hop on!”
Gu Mingyan had flown on planes, sailed on cruises, ridden in luxury cars—but never on someone else’s bicycle.
She raised an eyebrow in curiosity, teasing: “You better ride carefully, don’t drop me.”
“Consider it done! Don’t worry!” Yun Qingqing puffed her chest confidently.
Gu Mingyan carefully sat sideways on the bike, holding Yun Qingqing’s sleeve for balance.
Once stable, Yun Qingqing kicked off with her left foot and smoothly placed her right foot on the pedal.
The bike zipped forward, wind whipping their hair.
“Woohoo—let’s go!” Yun Qingqing whistled joyfully.
Gu Mingyan was initially tense, but as the bike glided steadily along the mountain road, she relaxed.
Feeling the breeze and watching the mountains roll by, she couldn’t help but laugh.
The livestream audience was charmed:
【Why are they so happy? I can’t help smiling too.】
【LOL! This is like a poor kid on a rusty bike carrying a rich heiress.】
【Yun Qingqing is something else—she made a bike feel as flashy as a convertible!】
Meng Xian watched as the bike carrying laughter and joy disappeared around a bend, then glanced at the livestream.
Her expensive display was completely overshadowed; almost no one was discussing her.
Meng Xian: “…”
Meanwhile, Yun Qingqing pedaled the noisy old bike as fast as she could.
Her cycling skills were superb; even downhill she maintained perfect control without slowing.
Before long, they overtook Jiang Mingqian and Yu Ran wobbling on skateboards, and then passed Ji Sihan and Nan Xu waiting by the garbage truck.
Ji Sihan gawked at their back view: “No way—they’re even faster than us?”
Yun Qingqing, speeding along, stopped at a castle flowerbed to weave a delicate flower crown for Gu Mingyan.
“Flowers for the beauty,” she grinned, flashing white teeth.
Gu Mingyan didn’t mind and placed the crown on her head, smiling at Yun Qingqing’s sweat-dampened hair and sparkling eyes.
When Yun Qingqing finally skidded to a stop at the scenic gate, with Gu Mingyan’s flower crown in place and her face bright with joy, the production staff standing by couldn’t help but fall silent.
What was with this intense “poor girl elopes with rich heiress” vibe?
“We’re the first group, right?” Yun Qingqing asked cheerfully.
The staff nodded and then revealed today’s items to sell—
A few plain, ordinary brooms.
Yun Qingqing’s wide grin vanished instantly. She stared at the staff in disbelief, as if to say, Excuse me???
【LOL! Making the guests sell brooms at a scenic spot—this production team never changes.】
【Yun Qingqing’s eyes are literally cursing.】
【Yun Qingqing: I rushed downhill at top speed just to sell this?!】
Gu Mingyan, ever blunt, couldn’t help but complain: “Which tourist in their right mind would buy a broom as a souvenir?”
The director remained unfazed: “That’s exactly why we need you guests to use your wits.”
Yun Qingqing had long expected the show’s antics and quickly adjusted her mindset, pulling the annoyed Miss Gu along.
“Mingyan, let’s first grab a good spot for our stall.”
Gu Mingyan pouted but held back her words. Yun Qingqing quickly chose the busiest entrance of the scenic area and neatly planted the few brooms on the ground.
Seeing these brooms, so out of place among all the tourist souvenirs, Yun Qingqing’s mouth twitched slightly.
She was still thinking of how to sell these when her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Pulling it out, she saw the sender labeled “Mom”:
【Qingqing, why haven’t you transferred this month’s living allowance? Do you even care about your family?】
【Your brother recently acted out and hurt a classmate. The medical bill is 20,000 yuan—you’re his sister, help him out.】
【You’re living luxuriously with Miss Gu; a little money shouldn’t be a problem. Don’t ignore it.】
Reading the barrage of messages, Yun Qingqing’s face immediately turned cold.
Though the original story never explained the cannon-fodder character’s background, Yun Qingqing knew from the previous memories that the person constantly demanding money was her “original self’s” mother, Zhang Cui.
The original character came from a typical patriarchal family. Her parents worked as servants for one of Yun City’s three major families, with stable incomes—but they always considered her a “financial burden.” From a young age, she was beaten and scolded and forced to drop out of school to help support the family.
After she got close to Gu Mingyan, the demands intensified. She endured the hardships at Miss Gu’s side mainly to fill her family’s endless financial hole.
But Yun Qingqing was not someone to be held hostage by family obligations. She didn’t even blink as she swiped away the messages.
When there was still no reply, the sender called directly.
The livestream audience noticed something unusual and began commenting:
【Huh? Qingqing’s phone has been ringing a lot. Why isn’t she answering?】
【Something seems off… did something happen?】
Gu Mingyan also noticed and furrowed her brows: “Who is it?”
Yun Qingqing calmly blocked the number. “No one. Harassment call.”
Gu Mingyan watched her for a few seconds. Even though Yun Qingqing smiled, Gu Mingyan could feel her mood was no longer as cheerful as before.
Normally, she wouldn’t care about a subordinate’s mood. But seeing Yun Qingqing’s spirit dampened by a phone call left her feeling off too.
It was like a sudden cloud drifting across a bright sky.
This unfamiliar emotion made Gu Mingyan uncomfortable. She pretended to look away but kept sneaking glances at Yun Qingqing, fidgeting with her dress.
When Gu Mingyan was upset, she had one remedy—shopping.
But there was nothing to buy here. After thinking for a moment, she said: “If you’re feeling down, maybe talking to someone will help.”
Yun Qingqing was already annoyed by the messages and calls, and had long forgotten Zhang Cui.
She paused for a moment, realizing Gu Mingyan was offering comfort in her own way.
Just as Yun Qingqing was about to decline, Gu Mingyan handed her phone over.
“Here, see which one you like.”
Yun Qingqing thought she meant a therapist or something, and looked down—only to be nearly blinded.
The screen displayed posters of muscular men in tight underwear, showing off gleaming eight-packs and striking poses.
Yun Qingqing: “!!!”
She looked up in shock. “What is this?!”
Gu Mingyan said matter-of-factly: “Pick a male model to chat with!”
“No, no, no…” Yun Qingqing stammered, fearing Gu Mingyan might really send these men to her. “I don’t need them!”
Gu Mingyan considered this: “You don’t like this type? No worries, there are female models too!”
She swiped, and the screen refreshed with women in bikinis or sexy outfits, their curves prominent.
Yun Qingqing: “…”