CHAPTER 12: It Hurt

When Gu Sheng woke up, she felt completely refreshed.

A few hours of sleep really made a difference. She woke to see Wen Heng and greeted him brightly, “Hey! Good morning!”

Wen Heng stared at her calmly.

His features were as sharp and refined as ever, but with a hint of blood in his eyes, his air of melancholy was even heavier.

It wasn’t until he got out of bed that Wen Heng finally realized—this woman was just messing with him. Saying half a sentence and then falling asleep on purpose, keeping him up all night and making him go find Tao Xiangling at five in the morning.

Wen Heng rubbed his brow and, after a long pause, found himself… wanting to laugh.

[Guys, I stayed up all night—did I just fall into this beauty’s trap?]
[Hahahaha is Gu Sheng actually a comedy queen? I’m dying here]
[Didn’t you watch the first episode? She’s always had a talent for this kind of thing]
[Sorry Wen-ge, I’ve fallen for your wife! Bad girls are the best, wahhh]

All the guests who worked hard last night trended on social media. Hashtags like #QingtianCouplePaidContent and #MountainRoadCoupleDuoMatchResults were among the top ten.

But what really caught everyone’s eye were the top two back-to-back trending searches:

#WenHengForcedToStayUpAllNight [Hot]
#WhatDidGuShengSayAnyway [Hot]

Once netizens figured out what had happened, they burst out laughing—half feeling sorry for Wen Heng, half thinking Gu Sheng was a total genius. A few people tried to take it too seriously and criticize Gu Sheng, but they were drowned in waves of amused responses.

Of course, the guests couldn’t hear the internet’s reaction. Since they were already up early, they jumped right into looking for Tao Xiangling.

After washing up and getting ready to set out, Gu Sheng heard the system chime again—

“Congratulations, host. You’ve successfully relieved pain for the 10th time. Please collect your reward: [Random Good Luck Buff]~”

Wen Heng may not have been able to sleep last night, but at least the pain had been relieved—so in a way, he’d unintentionally done something good for Gu Sheng.

In the original book, the original Gu Sheng looked like a total clown—partly because she refused to let go of her pride and go climbing trees or wading rivers to search, but also because her luck was just awful. Other people might stumble upon Tao Xianglings just by chance, but she couldn’t find a single one.

Even if this Good Luck Buff was random, Gu Sheng already felt great this morning, and now she was even more confident.

—Let’s go!!

Compared to her, the other guests looked more like they were forcing smiles.

After a whole night of gaming, Lu Yiyi was barely steady on her feet, and beside her, Yu Shanbei yawned so hard he walked straight into a flowerbed, sending nearby early-rising superfans into fits of laughter.

“—Ah!”

Yu Shanbei rolled once across the grass, then popped up looking excited: “Is this it? I found one!”

He was holding a ceramic ball, which made a soft rattling sound when shaken.

The first Tao Xiangling had been found. The pressure was on.

The competition had already begun, and no one wanted to end up wearing the ugliest outfit in the two-day livestream.

Jiang Luowei hadn’t just stayed up all night—she’d gotten up even earlier than the others to do her styling, all so she could look her absolute best in front of Wen Heng.

Now she finally had a chance to talk to Wen Heng. Jiang Luowei glanced at Gu Sheng and smiled, “Wen Heng, Gu Sheng, let me help you two! These Tao Xianglings must be hard to find~”

She had already reached out to the production crew in advance and found out that the tasks to earn Tao Xianglings included couple-based interactions, reciting classical poetry, and singing traditional-style songs—basically tailor-made for her.

Compared to her, Gu Sheng couldn’t even get along with Wen Heng, had no knowledge, no talent—wasn’t she just going to have to stand by and watch Jiang Luowei shine?

As Jiang Luowei approached them, Du Yanzhi tagged along to avoid being left alone. He greeted Wen Heng first, then smiled at Gu Sheng, “Have you watched my shows?”

Gu Sheng responded cheerfully, “I have. I really liked them.”

Du Yanzhi had already been intrigued by Gu Sheng’s line delivery the night before, so he struck up a conversation as they walked.

They crossed a bridge, and just as Gu Sheng was about to say something excitedly, Wen Heng’s cold voice suddenly cut in—

“I found one.”

He reached behind the railing, pulled off a string, and retrieved a Tao Xiangling, looking at Gu Sheng expressionlessly.

Gu Sheng: “?”

What’s this—provoking me??

Her competitive spirit instantly ignited.

Gu Sheng lost all interest in small talk and focused seriously on listening for the bells.

Jiang Luowei, too, was eager to show off, but after circling around once, she realized—aside from their personal camera operators, they hadn’t seen any other crew members, let alone any game stations.

Gu Sheng saw right through her thoughts and couldn’t help thinking: Isn’t that obvious? Most of the audience is asleep—only an idiot production team would schedule a game segment right now.

Gradually, Jiang Luwei came to the same realization. She could only smile and say, “I think I saw one over by the riverbank. I’ll go get it. No need to let Gu Sheng dirty her hands.”

That comment, on the surface and underneath, was clearly targeting Gu Sheng’s past reputation as a socialite—implying she couldn’t bear to get her hands dirty on a show like this.

But no one responded.

When she turned around—

Gu Sheng was halfway up a crooked tree.

Jiang Luwei: ???

Wen Heng stood at the base of the tree, looking on calmly, though there was a hint of concern in his eyes.

But Gu Sheng moved lightly and deftly—her steps almost weightless. In no time, she reached the tao xiangling the crew had tied to a branch.

[LOL she actually climbed a tree to win]

[Is Gu Sheng carrying the entire entertainment value of this show or what hahaha]

[What happened to the pampered heiress act?? Sis is trying so hard, I love it!!]

Only after Gu Sheng effortlessly jumped back down did Wen Heng finally look away.

She shook the bell and looked at Jiang Luwei. “What were you saying? Who shouldn’t get their hands dirty?”

Jiang Luwei, having just been shown up completely, was too furious to speak.

…

As the sky gradually brightened, the number of live viewers online surged.

The guests were feeling more and more pressure—because navigating Liangcheng on foot was just too hard. Everyone’s collection of tao xianglings was very limited.

In the end, Wen Heng found one beneath a peach tree, and Gu Sheng discovered one tucked in the doorway of a wine shop. That wrapped up the morning segment.

At exactly ten o’clock, all the guests reconvened under the city tower.

The camera crew zoomed in for close-ups of each guest’s face, capturing a whole reel of tired, pained expressions to the director’s satisfaction.

“Thank you all for your hard work! We heard some of you stayed up all night just to be ready by five. The production team is truly touched! So we won’t keep you in suspense—let’s show off the four outfit sets you’ll be competing for—”

A staff member wheeled out a clothing rack. The most eye-catching outfits, naturally, were two sets of ancient costume—one in flowing white, one in seductive red. Then came a more traditional long gown, and finally, the most dramatic: a punishment-style pastel clown suit in pink and blue.

[Holy crap, the white one! I’d donate blood to see Wen Heng wear that]

[Aaaaah I’m already dreaming]

[This production team is so savage lol that clown suit is just cruel]

Song Qingzhi immediately had her eyes on the white outfit—not only was it easier to pull off than red, it also suited her temperament. Most importantly, if she could stun both Wen Heng and the audience in ancient costume, she’d be that much closer to landing Tracing Back.

“The costumes were all custom-made, but whether you get to wear them depends on how many tao xianglings you collected! Please follow the cue and drop your bells into the buckets in front of you—”

At the count of one, most pairs could submit something. At two, the Shanlu couple ran out, and Yu Shanbei burst into tears.

“Seriously?! You guys all got that many?!”

Turned out the first bell they’d found ended up being their last. The audience was dying laughing at Yu Shanbei’s despair, and even the director had to stifle a chuckle. “Fourth place goes to our Shanlu couple!”

Everyone else secretly sighed in relief—the last-place clown suit was now claimed.

The counting continued. At three bells, the temporary duo of Jiang Luwei and Du Yanzhi were out, ranking third.

“Four bells—” the director called out.

Song Qingzhi nervously submitted her stash, eyes darting to Gu Sheng and Wen Heng, praying they’d be tied. But when it came to the fifth bell, Gu Sheng reached into her pocket and pulled out another.

Even Wen Heng hadn’t seen that coming.

Gu Sheng looked straight into the camera, deadpan: “You guys tied two on the tree. Thanks, really.”

Pure dumb luck, eh? √

The comment section exploded with laughter, rows of [The harder you work, the luckier you get!]

Wen Heng’s fans were also bowing in gratitude: thank you, Gu-jie, our living saint, for letting Wen-ge choose first too.

Next came the costume selection, in ranking order. Song Qingzhi and Qin Tian spoke just loudly enough for everyone to hear: “Honestly, I think the most important thing is wearing something that suits your own style.”

Jiang Luwei chimed in from the side, “Totally. If you’ve never tried historical looks before, it’s easy to mess it up.”

Gu Sheng mentally rolled her eyes. Blah blah, whatever.

She came in first—of course she was going to pick the best.

Plus, back in the day, her candid photos in white costume were what first blew up her popularity. With the show giving her such a high-profile stage, there was no way she’d pass it up.

Gu Sheng made her choice, and after a moment’s thought, Wen Heng also chose the white outfit.

Instantly, the comment section went wild, flooding the screen.

Song Qingzhi and Qin Tian ended up picking the red set, the guest MC took the long gown, and the Shanlu couple trudged miserably off to put on the clown suits.

The platform cut to a commercial—time for the guests to get styled. When the break ended, Wen Heng and Gu Sheng appeared one after the other.

Wen Heng’s white costume was simple but elegant. The sleeves and collar were sharp and clean, with silver trim along the hem. A belt cinched his waist, his posture tall and straight. His features were finely sculpted, expression calm—he looked every bit the image of a noble gentleman.

Jiang Luwei and Song Qingzhi both blushed, while the comment section basically flatlined.

[I’m done I’m done I’m done I’m done]

[GEGE aaaaaaaa]

[Help meeeeeeeee]

Just as the bullet screen was filled with cries of “Gege I’m yours,” Gu Sheng stepped out, and the cameraman quickly zoomed in.

Her long hair fell naturally, braided near the ears to show off her pale earlobes. She lifted her gaze, calm and serene, but her features were stunningly beautiful. The white costume highlighted everything perfectly. She wore a sheer outer robe, the waist tightly fitted, and like Wen Heng’s, hers also had silver trim. Her figure was slender but full in all the right places. As she walked, the breeze lifted the hem lightly—elegant, otherworldly.

Wen Heng couldn’t hide the look of awe in his eyes.

For a few seconds, the Yuzu livestream platform completely froze—and then exploded.

[Holy crap! She’s killing me, ahhhhhh!]

[Why did no one tell me Gu Sheng looks this good in historical costume?!?]

[Please, I’m begging her to act! Even if she’s just a pretty face, I’ll still watch!!]

When Gu Sheng and Wen Heng stood side by side, no one cared about anyone else’s costume anymore.

The production team didn’t even need to promote it—#WenHengGuShengWhiteCostumeLook shot straight up the trending list.

It blew up instantly.

…

By the time the show went live again in the afternoon, The Four Laws of Happiness hit a new peak in real-time viewership.

[I’ll say it straight—I came for the visuals]

[Even if there’s no real romance, their faces alone are god-tier, dammit]

[Never thought I’d end up shipping them, but here I am]

At this point, the real game session began. The guests’ new task was to exchange for a mode of transportation. This round was solo—couples and partners could split up and team with others.

But now that Jiang Luwei had put on a long robe, she didn’t dare flaunt next to Gu Sheng anymore. And not just her—even Song Qingzhi quietly kept some distance.

Qin Tian, wearing red with her, was tall and bulky, and looked like a fool in costume. Song Qingzhi looked at the immortal-like Wen Heng, feeling so jealous her eyes burned.

Outside the show, the artists’ PR teams, realizing the WenSheng CP might really blow up, launched an emergency response, sending in water armies.

[I admit WenSheng is visually stunning, but honestly, there’s almost zero actual fluff between them, right?]

[It’s just CP fans projecting. The leads have never shown any real affection]

[If we’re talking real love, it’s still Sunny Days (Qingzhi + Qin Tian). Their love is loud and passionate]

[Someone said in episode one that if Wen Heng and Gu Sheng ever gave off sweet vibes, they’d eat shit on livestream. I’ve got the screenshot]

[Crap, that was me. Please have mercy!!]

The comment section was finally stirred up into chaos—right when Gu Sheng and Wen Heng arrived at their first game.

In the ancient city, dressed in white, walking side by side—they looked like they stepped right out of a painting. Even the staff blushed seeing them up close, like meeting deities.

“W-Welcome to the Don’t-Be-Moved Challenge! The rules are simple: if you smile while watching the video, it counts as being moved. The person with fewer smiles wins a ceramic bell.”

The staff stuttered a little: “W-Who wants to go first?”

Wen Heng turned slightly to glance at Gu Sheng. His breath caught, then he turned away again. “I’ll go first.”

Gu Sheng thought for a moment and felt like she had a decent shot at winning this game, so she nodded. “Alright, go ahead.”

Wen Heng started watching the video, the camera locked onto his face—any sign of a smile would be seen by the audience.

The clips were of famous actresses from the past ten years, local and international, each breathtakingly beautiful. Yet Wen Heng stayed expressionless from start to finish.

The system shed tears: “See?! He won’t be moved by anyone but you!”

Gu Sheng: ? Bullshit!

He just wants to win!!

Gu Sheng pressed her lips together. “My turn.”

The staff began showing her videos of handsome men.

She had barely seen two before she realized she was in trouble.

There are this many good-looking men in this world??

What the hell is going on!!

Each clip came with perfectly timed background music, synced just right. The handsome faces flashed on screen one after another, and the corners of Gu Sheng’s lips started to curl up.

Once.

Then again.

And again.

[—You’re watching the “Instantly Moved Challenge” in action]

[Hahaha girl could you at least try to hold back a little?!]

Wen Heng: “…”

This shallow woman!!

He closed his eyes, not wanting to see anymore—only to hear the system’s “ding——” right then.

[Look at Wen Heng’s face!!]

[He’s jealous! Jealous jealous jealous ahhhhh]

[No, I don’t think it’s just jealousy, I think he’s panicking]

Wen Heng’s body jolted, his lips turned pale, and a few seconds later, he actually started trembling slightly—like he was utterly devastated!

[He’s this heartbroken from jealousy… He must really love her, QAQ]

[Wuwuwu if Gu Sheng picks someone else for the next task, Wen Heng’s gonna cry, right?]

[Don’t ever say there’s no sugar in WenSheng. I’m dying over here]

Finally, the video ended, and Gu Sheng let out a long breath. She vaguely remembered hearing the system chime earlier, but she’d been too mesmerized by the beautiful faces to catch what it said.

Then she looked at Wen Heng and asked the system in confusion, “Where does it hurt? Why’s his reaction so intense?”

The system answered: “This is Pain #09: ‘Like being struck hard.’”

Gu Sheng: “What?”

System: “Pain #11: ‘Like being struck by lightning.’”

Gu Sheng: “…”

No wonder. Hah!

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