Chapter 159: Rural Romance

After getting off the plane, the group switched to a bus, enduring a bumpy two-hour ride before finally arriving at their destination.

As they stepped out of the vehicle, they were greeted by lush green scenery. In the distance, towering mountains layered in mist loomed grandly, teeming with life. The air seemed to carry the fragrance of fresh grass.

Jiang Mi squinted her eyes contentedly, but then a voice of displeasure broke the peace. “Why is the ground wet? My dress!”

Jiang Mi glanced over and saw Bai Ruoruo frantically lifting her white dress, her face full of disgust. Jiang Mi smirked.

The air, rich with the scent of grass and soil, suggested it had recently rained. Unlike the city’s paved roads, the mountain paths were a mix of sand and mud, leaving puddles after the rain. And Bai Ruoruo, wearing a pure white long dress… well, that wasn’t the smartest choice.

At that moment, the director, holding a megaphone, began speaking.

“Shanyao village is beautiful, with mountains and rivers. The villagers make their living by growing fruit in the mountains, and the most famous local fruit is the orange. The oranges here are juicy and sweet with a slight tartness. Make sure to try some later!”

“We’ll be filming the last two episodes of the show here in Shanyao. I hope everyone can experience another spark of romance in this beautiful village and find the one to confess your feelings to!”

Jiang Mi was in a great mood and turned to Gu Chuan with a smile. “Looks like we’re about to star in a rural romance.”

Gu Chuan also smiled, his dark eyes filled with warmth.

Qin Ling added, “The air in the mountains really is fresh, it feels like it purifies all the grime out of your body.”

Cheng Lin gave Qin Ling a glance, pinching his nose and stepping away. “You’re the dirty one. I’m a little fairy, the cleanest of all.”

Qin Ling, enraged, jumped at Cheng Lin and threw a couple of punches his way. Best friends are meant to mess with each other.

The director chuckled at their antics and continued.

“For the final two episodes, we’re also introducing the last new guest: Mr. Fu, the president of Fu Entertainment. Everyone, please give him a warm welcome!”

【Hahaha, the director didn’t even bother to mention that unlucky guy.】

【Why bring up bad luck when we can just move on?】

【But why is President Fu, a proper CEO, here?】

【President Fu is so handsome, elegant, and noble. He’s stunning, but isn’t he… disabled?】

At that moment, the sound of wheels rolling echoed through the quiet air.

Bai Ruoruo excitedly exclaimed, “Mr. Fu!”

As her voice rang out, the mysterious Mr. Fu finally revealed himself.

He wore a perfectly tailored black suit, exuding grace and nobility. His appearance was impeccable, except for one thing—he couldn’t stand. He was seated in a wheelchair.

Many people, who had initially looked at him with admiration, now regarded him with pity when they saw the wheelchair.

Bai Ruoruo’s expression became even more complicated. In terms of power and looks, Mr. Fu was top-tier, but the flaw of his disability meant he would rely on a wheelchair for life. Because of this, Bai Ruoruo had previously only seen him as a backup plan.

But now, she broke into a bright smile, darting toward Mr. Fu like a little bird.

“I never expected the last guest to be you! What a wonderful surprise!”

Mr. Fu’s gaze softened as he looked at Bai Ruoruo, but then quickly shifted to Jiang Mi, as if captivated.

Jiang Mi didn’t notice this. She was too busy exchanging a smug look with Gu Chuan, her raised eyebrows seeming to say, I was right. It’s him!

Gu Chuan’s lips curled into a fond smile.

Earlier, Jiang Mi had guessed that the new male guest replacing Shen Mingxuan would be Mr. Fu, the CEO who had spent five billion. In the original story, nothing like this would have happened since the leads were untouchable. But now that Shen Mingxuan was gone, Jiang Mi predicted that Bai Ruoruo would turn to Mr. Fu as her last resort.

And it seemed her guess was spot on.

Gu Chuan, however, noticed Mr. Fu’s gaze and coldly swept his eyes over, locking eyes with him in mid-air.

Sparks flew.

It felt as if there was electricity in the air.

Everyone around could sense a sudden chill.

Jiang Mi noticed it too and turned to see Mr. Fu staring straight at Gu Chuan, furrowing her brow slightly.

As Bai Ruoruo’s loyal follower, why was he looking at Gu Chuan instead of Bai Ruoruo? What’s his deal?

Mr. Fu then pushed his wheelchair forward with a smile, extending his hand to Gu Chuan. “Mr. Gu, it’s an honor to be on this show with you.”

At that moment, Bai Ruoruo quickly ran over to stand beside Mr. Fu, smiling sweetly.

Gu Chen responded with a soft “mm” and did not offer a handshake. He simply extended his good wishes, saying, “I hope Mr. Fu and Miss Bai enjoy their date.”

Mr. Fu’s elegant smile stiffened, but he quickly regained his composure. “You’re joking, Mr. Gu. Miss Jiang, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Jiang Mi curved her lips slightly. “I heard that Mr. Fu spent 500 million just to keep Miss Bai on the dating show. I’ve also heard quite a bit about you.”

Mr. Fu’s smile froze even more. After a two-second pause, he added, “It seems Mr. Gu and Miss Jiang are indeed quite close, to know so much.”

Jiang Mi smiled and glanced at Bai Ruoruo. “Well, it’s all over the internet now.”

Bai Ruoruo’s face turned a bit unpleasant. This kind of thing didn’t look good from any angle.

At this moment, Lu Yu curiously asked, “Mimi, what’s this about 500 million?”

Just as Jiang Mi was about to answer, Bai Ruoruo hurriedly introduced the people around her, “Mr. Fu, this is Lu Yu, and next to her are Yang Yang, Chen Wanruo, and Cheng Lin…”

[“Mimi is really bold, casually talking about business tycoon dealings like that.”]

[“Ugh, another simp coming in. Bai Ruoruo truly is a manipulative flower, always managing to get men to fight for her.”]

[“Why do I feel like Mr. Fu seems more interested in Mimi than Bai Ruoruo?”]

Bai Ruoruo’s interruption naturally stopped any further discussion about the 500 million. The director then moved on with the program.

“Next, we’ll spend three days and two nights at the mountain kiln. So now, let’s head up the mountain.”

Once the words fell, there was a brief moment of stillness on set.

All the guests looked up at the winding mountain path, then turned to the empty surroundings. The bus that had just dropped them off had disappeared.

A sense of unease quietly rose among the group.

“Where’s the bus?” Cheng Lin couldn’t help but ask.

The director innocently looked back at him. “Oh, the road conditions on this part of the mountain are too poor. The bus can’t go up, so you’ll all have to walk.”

Cheng Lin cursed under his breath. “So the bus is more precious than us?”

The director smiled silently, raising his hand to gesture them upward.

Jiang Mi’s expression remained unchanged, but she glanced out of the corner of her eye at Bai Ruoruo and Mr. Fu. “Mr. Fu, are you alright with this?”

Everyone turned their heads. Oh right, how was Mr. Fu, sitting in a wheelchair, supposed to make it up the mountain?

Mr. Fu’s expression remained calm, showing no embarrassment. Just as he was about to speak, Bai Ruoruo eagerly jumped in, “That’s right. Mr. Fu’s legs are disabled, and he’s in a wheelchair. How could he possibly go up the mountain? Maybe we should…”

Disabled legs.

A shadow of gloom appeared on Mr. Fu’s previously composed face.

Jiang Mi smiled sweetly and finished Bai Ruoruo’s sentence, “Oh, so you’re going to push his wheelchair? How kind of you. Mr. Fu is fortunate to have such a friend.”

The sudden praise caught Bai Ruoruo off guard. “I-I wasn’t…”

But halfway through her words, she noticed the side profile of Mr. Fu’s cold, sharp face.

She only had Mr. Fu left to rely on, and she couldn’t afford to lose him!

Taking a deep breath, Bai Ruoruo forced a smile and said, “Yes, Mr. Fu, you can’t go alone. Let me help you.”

Mr. Fu glanced at Jiang Mi, then at Bai Ruoruo, his expression unreadable. He simply uttered, “Alright.”

The group began their ascent.

The slope wasn’t steep, but the recent rain had left the path muddy and difficult to navigate. Fortunately, the other guests had come prepared, wearing either sneakers or hiking shoes, so climbing wasn’t too hard.

Except for…

A scream broke the silence. “My high heel is stuck in a crack!”

Everyone turned to see Bai Ruoruo clutching the wheelchair tightly, struggling to free her heel from a rock.

But her efforts threw her off balance. As she wobbled, she stepped on her own dress, let out a shriek, and tumbled to the ground.

In a desperate attempt to save herself, she grabbed onto the wheelchair with such force that she nearly toppled it over.

Thankfully, a bodyguard appeared just in time, pushing Bai Ruoruo aside and steadying the wheelchair to prevent it from tipping over.

With a thud, Bai Ruoruo fell face-first into the mud, letting out a pained cry.

Mr. Fu looked back, “Ruoruo?”

Hearing his voice, Bai Ruoruo instantly felt aggrieved. She raised her tear-stained face and pitifully complained to him, “Mr. Fu, the bodyguard pushed me!”

She thought she looked weak and pitiful, but her dress, now soaked in mud, was a mess, and her once-perfect princess hairstyle was in complete disarray, making her resemble a madwoman.

Mr. Fu quietly watched her without saying anything at first.

Meanwhile, the bodyguard, feeling wronged, hurriedly explained, “Sir, I didn’t push Miss Bai on purpose…”

Bai Ruoruo’s eyes reddened even more, pretending to be magnanimous. “Bodyguard, I understand you were just trying to protect Mr. Fu, and I’m not blaming you. But you can’t deny responsibility either. Just apologize, and it’ll be fine.”

The bodyguard, having just saved Mr. Fu from being dragged down, frowned deeply, frustrated but prepared to take the blame.