Cupping Therapy

The main objective of this mission was to collect props. The production team hadn't said they would only provide a little starting capital, nor had they required the guests to complete any extreme mini-challenges. As long as they reached the finish line before 8:30 p.m., their collected props would be tallied. Anyone who ran overtime would be eliminated.

Since they were taking the same route, everyone traveled together, surrounded by cameras.

Jiang Ning flipped through the route map, then suddenly pointed to a spot and said to Wen Shuang, "I know this place. Bandit Heights." Just thinking about it made his calves ache. He had only strained a ligament while dancing two weeks ago.

Hearing the misery in his voice, Wen Shuang said quietly, "If you can't manage it, wait for me at the foot of the mountain. We're on the same team anyway, so whatever I collect counts as yours too."

The cameraman following the two of them was incredibly close. Their conversation was clearly picked up by their high-quality headset mics and transmitted to the audience. One could easily imagine how wildly the comments exploded.

[Wen Shuang is so considerate!!!]

[The sister above got it wrong. Wen Shuang is only considerate toward Jiang Ning.]

[Shuang-Ning is real!!!]

Cao Nanyu watched President Xuan shift into another position, the coldness slowly creeping back into his eyes.

Assistant Cao groaned inwardly. Shuang, whenever you make President Xuan angry, who do you think is the one charging to the front lines and taking the fire?!

Yet when they reached the foot of the mountain, everyone, not just Jiang Ning, fell silent.

The mountain was steep, with only a winding path leading upward. Bluestone slabs covered merely half the route, ending midway up the mountain. Beyond that, it was all down to whether there were nails beneath one's feet. The temple was hidden amid layers of lush green peaks, with only a corner of its earthy-red roof exposed. It looked tranquil and sacred.

Peng Shanshan gritted her teeth. "Up we go!"

Lin Nuan looked troubled and clearly reluctant, but her reputation had always been poor. Before coming here, her manager had practically drilled instructions into her head. If she acted willfully again, she might not get to appear in future episodes.

By the time they had climbed two-thirds of the bluestone path, Jiang Ning's face had gone a little pale. Wen Shuang was perceptive enough to notice. Supporting him, he said firmly, "Once we finish this stretch, wait for me by the road. Don't go any farther."

Jiang Ning smiled. "Come on, it's nothing serious."

Wen Shuang merely frowned slightly, his meaning obvious. When this person got stubborn, nobody could persuade him otherwise. The moment the bluestone path ended, Wen Shuang pressed Jiang Ning down onto a large rock by the roadside. Its surface was smooth, and it leaned against a tree, making it an excellent resting place. Jiang Ning's right knee had indeed been hurting badly lately. Thinking of the work and filming still ahead, he didn't refuse again.

Actually, the more people there were searching for props, the better. If his partner had been anyone else, Jiang Ning truly wouldn't have felt at ease. But Wen Shuang was different. His luck was unbeatable!!!

With Jiang Ning absent, Lin Nuan moved over to Wen Shuang's side. Judging purely by appearances, the two of them looked like a perfect match, but the comments had lately been filled with one repeated line: "Jinx, stay away from our Shuang-baby!" Lin Nuan had once endured being hated by the entire internet, but she had also gained a group of fiercely loyal fans because of it. Saying they could fend off ten opponents each would not have been an exaggeration. During the first few months after Lin Nuan's comeback, anyone who worked with her had terrible luck, so antis had given her the unpleasant nickname "Jinx." Now, her fans poured into the comments and started fighting with everyone.

"I couldn't tell, but your stamina's pretty good," Wen Shuang said, breathing slightly hard.

Lin Nuan nodded. "I was tall from a young age. When did I ever skip a sports meet? In college, I was even first in the city for pole vault!" As she spoke of her school days, her expression became more animated. The comments, meanwhile, fell into an eerie silence because of what she had said.

"Lin Nuan used to be a top student at Capital S University. She ranked first in her year when she enrolled," Cao Nanyu explained to Xuan Zhe.

Xuan Zhe frowned faintly, as though something had occurred to him.

The moment they finally saw the temple, Peng Shanshan and her non-celebrity partner screamed. The mountain path had been truly difficult, and it was nearly noon, yet they had not even entered their first destination.

It wasn't the weekend, so there weren't many worshippers. The steps were old, the eaves darkened with age. No one knew how many years this temple had stood here.

Chen Zong and the others hurried to search for props. Lin Nuan went around back with her non-celebrity partner as well. Wen Shuang, however, strolled leisurely through the front courtyard. The place was far too secluded, carrying the air of somewhere removed from the worldly realm. Influenced by his grandfather, Wen Shuang treated places like this with great respect.

A monk around sixty slowly approached. He pressed his palms together and gave Wen Shuang a slight bow. Wen Shuang immediately returned the gesture.

Thinking Wen Shuang didn't understand the incense-offering procedure, the monk accompanied him to the main hall and patiently explained everything along the way. The old monk spoke warmly, with an indescribable rhythm to his voice. Wen Shuang listened attentively and offered incense with great sincerity. The old monk watched him with a gentle smile and nod. Once Wen Shuang rose, he handed him a peace talisman made of yellow paper stamped with red ink, folded into a triangle and tied with red thread. He said it would keep him safe while traveling far from home.

The item was light, but Wen Shuang accepted it with both hands, intending to bring it back for Xuan Zhe.

"This is for you too." The old monk drew a Supreme Auspicious Lot from the fortune-stick cylinder, one clearly different from all the others. Rather than having Wen Shuang shake it for guidance, he simply gave it to him. Wen Shuang didn't quite understand and instinctively wanted to refuse, but the old monk stuffed it into his arms without allowing any argument. Then he turned and left the hall, moving so quickly that only the hem of his robe flashed past the doorway.

The next second, the system announcement sounded: [Notification: Guest Wen Shuang has obtained an orange prop.]

Wen Shuang: "..."

The production team: "..."

Comments: ???

[I used to think Wen Shuang's luck was arranged by the production team, but now I think this guy might actually have some kind of magical aura!]

[Do you know what it means to win while lying down, friends? This is it! Look at the other teams sweating buckets while they search.]

"An orange prop?" Wen Shuang muttered. "So the props are ranked by level." By the usual color classification, they were probably white, green, blue, red, and orange. Which meant... Wen Shuang looked at the Supreme Auspicious Lot with its red-tipped top. Could this possibly be the highest-level prop?

Just as Wen Shuang had guessed, orange was the best. Later, Chen Zong's team and Wang Yuze's team each found props as well, one white and one green. The guests' scores changed accordingly, with Wen Shuang and Jiang Ning's team taking first place.

The camera turned to Jiang Ning. He was getting restless, extremely curious about how Wen Shuang had found it. Their score had suddenly left every other team far behind.

[Jiang Ning's expression is killing me. He probably never imagined Wen Shuang hadn't even searched hard and had also scored a peace talisman.]

[I know a little about this. The peace talisman Wen Shuang got was consecrated. The markings and red thread are both very particular. It's very effective.]

The temple wasn't huge, but hiding several props in it was enough to exhaust everyone. Some were placed conspicuously and awkwardly, while others depended entirely on luck. After searching for a while, everyone was drenched in sweat. The noon sun was scorching, and the guests all began taking off their jackets.

Lin Nuan stood in the center of the courtyard and unzipped the front of her jacket. As she pulled it down, it revealed a bandeau-like top, with only two crisscrossing straps at the back. Her shoulder blades looked as if they might spread their wings and take flight. Her figure was beyond stunning—it was enough to make people jealous.

Wen Shuang happened to be standing behind Lin Nuan at that moment, staring without blinking.

[Lin Nuan really... is she afraid she won't show enough skin?!]

[Shuang-baby's mom won't allow you to look at her!!!]

[Heh, Wen Shuang isn't immune to clichés either. His eyes are practically glued to her.]

[Some of you are really way too malicious toward Lin Nuan. She does look amazing.]

Xuan Zhe only glanced at Lin Nuan once before staring at the motionless Wen Shuang on-screen. His voice was utterly flat. "Looks good?"

Cao Nanyu didn't dare say a word!

But when President Xuan was unhappy, he never liked letting anyone else off easy. "I asked you a question."

Assistant Cao stammered, "It's... it's all right, I guess."

Xuan Zhe watched Wen Shuang and nodded lightly. Fine. He had guts.

Chen Zong walked over with a smile and patted Wen Shuang on the shoulder. "You like it?"

"I do." Wen Shuang was perfectly candid, startling even the camera into shaking. Then, in the next second, he said earnestly, "That back would be perfect for cupping therapy."

Everyone: "..."

Lin Nuan had been standing with her arms spread, embracing the sunlight. At his words, she froze, then turned toward him with a face full of disbelief. "For what?"

"Cupping therapy." Afraid Lin Nuan hadn't heard clearly, Wen Shuang stepped closer to explain. "My grandmother was amazing at it. When I was little, people often came to our home asking her to perform cupping therapy, and I watched from the side. Your back is smooth and open, so the cups would stay in place."

Lin Nuan examined Wen Shuang carefully, trying to find even the faintest trace of some other emotion on his face.

But there was none.

Wen Shuang looked completely innocent. "Really. My grandmother even said she wanted to pass the skill down to me."

Lin Nuan: "..."

"Stop talking..." Lin Nuan put her jacket back on, looking slightly weak. "I need to calm down."

In front of his computer, Xuan Zhe suddenly covered his lips and laughed softly.

After three seconds of silence, an overwhelming army of "HAHAHA" flooded the comments. Wen Shuang still didn't think much of it, while #CuppingTherapy# and #LinNuan# successively climbed the trending searches.

Chen Zong took a deep breath. Wen Shuang was definitely not as harmless as he looked. This guy was too good at pretending. Zhu Lian must have trained him extensively; his reactions were first-rate.

The temple provided vegetarian meals, but the bland food held no appeal for anyone. They all wanted to hold out until they reached the foot of the mountain.

On the way back, Lin Nuan didn't cling to Wen Shuang anymore. Instead, she walked alone off to the side, her zipper pulled all the way up, looking deeply traumatized.

Could anyone blame her? Lin Nuan had debuted based on her figure and face. What praise hadn't she heard before? But "perfect for cupping therapy" was definitely a first.

Wen Shuang sidled up to Lin Nuan and spoke softly. "Sorry. Did I offend you?" It was his fault too. Ever since confirming his relationship with Xuan Zhe, everything had been going so smoothly that he had temporarily forgotten words could bring disaster.

Lin Nuan blinked lightly, not understanding why Wen Shuang was apologizing. She had swallowed far harsher remarks by the bucketful. It was just that after everything she had experienced, she tended to overthink. She had thought Wen Shuang's words earlier were a form of rejection, so she had stopped trying to make herself more annoying.

"No." The tightly drawn string in Lin Nuan's heart loosened slightly, and even the air seemed to become gentler.

Rumors outside claimed that she acted like a diva and had a spoiled temper. In truth, give this girl even a little kindness, and she could be happy for ages.

"Can your grandmother really do cupping therapy?" Lin Nuan asked. Seeing Wen Shuang nod solemnly, she asked curiously, "What exactly does it do?"

"It mainly unblocks the meridians and promotes circulation. It can treat all kinds of things." Wen Shuang looked a little proud. "My grandmother is incredible."

Lin Nuan liked listening to Wen Shuang talk. There was no prejudice or mockery in his tone, and it made her almost forget the strict order her manager had given her. Right now, she needed attention, even negative publicity. Her manager had told her to pair herself with either Jiang Ning or Wen Shuang on the show, while the public relations team would handle the promotion and hype afterward. Lin Nuan had decided to go all in. Over the years, she had long mastered her own unique skill of separating her body from her mind. The rumors online could no longer hurt her, as long as she achieved her goal.

But Wen Shuang's face was right in front of her. Dappled shade and light fell across his brows and eyes, carrying a purity Lin Nuan had not seen in a very long time. Maybe I should forget it, she thought.

Jiang Ning waited anxiously by the roadside, figuring an orange prop had to be something substantial. Maybe Wen Shuang had carried the temple bell down with him. But the others were holding things like clay jars and oil lamps, while Wen Shuang's hands were practically empty.

"Where's the prop?" Jiang Ning asked curiously.

Wen Shuang pulled the Supreme Auspicious Lot from his pocket. "Here, for you!"

Jiang Ning burst out laughing.

After resting for nearly an hour, Jiang Ning's knee didn't hurt as much. Going downhill was easier. Wen Shuang walked in front while Jiang Ning rested one hand on his shoulder for a little support, and they descended fairly easily.

"Hm?" Lin Nuan suddenly spoke up, followed immediately by a startled cry. "Ah!"

Everything happened too fast. Wen Shuang had been chatting with Jiang Ning when he turned and saw Lin Nuan lunging toward them. The smile had not yet faded from Jiang Ning's face when Wen Shuang yanked him aside. With Jiang Ning no longer blocking her, despair appeared on Lin Nuan's face. She instinctively shut her eyes, thinking she would just roll if she had to. Instead, she crashed headfirst into someone's shoulder, her waist protected by an arm. Wen Shuang had grabbed Lin Nuan and rolled downhill with her!

"Wen Shuang!" Jiang Ning's face changed drastically.

The cameramen were terrified too. The footage shook wildly as they chased after them, trying to stop them.

Fortunately, staff members were stationed below. Three of them rushed forward and finally stopped the pair from falling further on a relatively wide bluestone step.

Wen Shuang only felt sharp pain in several places on his arm and calf. Other than that, he was fine.

Xuan Zhe abruptly stood up, one hand slamming down onto the table. His watch struck the table's edge with a sharp clink.

The bluestone steps were not very far apart, but they hurt badly when one fell on them. Protected by Wen Shuang, Lin Nuan had not been badly bruised. In the past, if she had been given an opportunity like this, she would definitely have hidden in the arms of a male guest and refused to come out. But this time was different. Wen Shuang could clearly have avoided her, yet he had come toward her instead. Lin Nuan immediately moved Wen Shuang's hand away and, after getting up, anxiously studied his expression. "How are you?"

Wen Shuang hid the scraped skin on his wrist beneath his sleeve and shook his head. "I'm fine."

Lin Nuan's eyes instantly reddened. She leaned closer and said in a low voice, "Someone pushed me from behind just now!"

Wen Shuang's heart skipped a beat. He did not doubt the truth of her words.

Even if Lin Nuan wanted to gain attention, she would never use this method. If either Jiang Ning or Wen Shuang got hurt because of her, she would be pinned to the trending searches and dragged for a week.

In fact, the situation was already beginning to turn ugly. Once the screaming in the comments and comment section subsided, the attacks all focused on Lin Nuan.

[Is this woman insane...]

[Lin Nuan is making me so furious. Seriously, I've never hated a female celebrity this much!]

Those were still relatively tolerable. The rest were filled with "Lin Nuan should die" and even more unbearable personal attacks.

Jiang Ning hurried down in long strides and nearly fell himself. He quickly helped Wen Shuang up. "How are you?"

Seeing that Jiang Ning's expression was wrong and that he seemed ready to curse Lin Nuan, Wen Shuang gripped his arm tightly. "Let's talk after we get down."

The moment Jiang Ning heard that, he knew there was more to the story.