Chapter 14: Countless exclamations drift across the sky; self-driving travel is not about driving a car, but rather a donkey cart.

"No filming allowed."

[Damn, what’s going on here? Kidnapping someone in broad daylight?]

[You’re overthinking it. I swear, Lexi must think we’re fools, and some viewers really are. Who would go crazy enough to abduct someone in front of millions during a livestream?]

Huo Hongming thought, Good, let them take her, but he kept up the act.

"Who was that? Is everything alright? Someone notify the director!"

Just as the director was about to send someone to check, someone else came over with news: it was Song Qi, who had a private matter to discuss with Lexi.

To avoid backlash and stir up conversation, the director spoke through the earpiece to the cameraman, instructing him to tell Huo Hongming, "It’s nothing, just a friend of Lexi’s."

Huo Hongming replied, "A friend? Well, that’s a relief." He deliberately added, "What kind of friend acts like a kidnapper?"

[Knew it! Lexi is such a drama queen.]

[Can’t focus on the show, has to pull these stunts. I suggest the production confiscate Lexi’s earnings, make her last place, and have her walk to the next filming location. Walk until she drops.]

Song Qi pulled Lexi into a narrow alley. Lexi shook free, only then realizing it was him.

"Are you insane?"

Song Qi scowled and held out his hand. "Hand it over."

Lexi leapt up and smacked his palm hard. Song Qi yelped in pain.

"Are you crazy? Why did you hit me?"

"You told me to hand it over," Lexi shrugged. "What could I possibly give you? Besides air, I won’t give you anything. And if I could control the air, you wouldn’t get that either. Hurts, doesn’t it? Well, I’m leaving."

"Don’t go," Song Qi grabbed her. Lexi kicked him again, making him hop on one foot.

"Why do you keep hitting me?"

"Because a man shouldn’t lay hands on a woman. Who do you think you are? You dare touch me? If all you get is a beating, consider yourself lucky." Lexi landed a punch near his eye. "Try touching me again and I’ll finish you off."

"You—" Song Qi wanted to strike back, but remembered how badly he’d lost last time. He lowered his hand.

"I’m a gentleman; I won’t hit you. But have you forgotten the NDA you signed? The contract clearly states: if you say anything damaging to Yue or the Song family’s reputation, you owe ten times the damages. You took thirty million from me; now you owe me three hundred million. Pay up or I’ll take you to court."

"I don’t have three hundred million, and as for you, Song family’s young master, do you?"

Lexi snorted, "Mama’s boy."

"Lexi!" Song Qi shouted, enraged.

Seeing his eyes bulge like an enraged ox, Lexi found it amusing.

"I was foolish to believe you wouldn’t bring me up. Overestimated you. You’d die if you didn’t mention me, huh?"

"I want you dead, not that I’d die if I didn’t mention you," Song Qi retorted.

Lexi felt nauseated by his narcissism. "So, what did I say about you? Don’t tell me you and your mother got thrown out by the Song family and now you’re broke, so you want to scam money from me?"

She had every reason to believe it.

"You—" Song Qi seethed.

"If you weren’t such a flirt, why’d you even join this dating show—"

"Shut it," Lexi warned. "Say one more foul word and I’ll beat you senseless."

Song Qi fumed but backed down. "If you hadn’t joined the show—fine, join the show. But if you hadn’t acted out, why would haters dig into your past? Without that, how would my secrets be exposed? Now they’re saying I’m an illegitimate child, giving birth to another illegitimate child—"

Lexi cut him off, "Isn’t it true? You’re an illegitimate son, and so is your sister’s unborn child. If you don’t want people talking, don’t do it. And for your information, unless it comes from my mouth, it’s none of my business. I’m not paying a dime."

Did they really think Lexi was stupid? She had been, once. Otherwise, she’d have gotten billions. Having lost so much, she’d memorized every contract clause by heart.

Those two—clever, but not quite clever enough. They really believed Lexi would never return to show business. Didn’t they know the entertainment industry loves to pass messages through others?

Song Qi’s face turned the color of someone constipated for days.

"Lexi."

"And if I don’t go back soon, they’ll probably dig up your identity. You and Tang Yuexin got your marriage certificate, didn’t you? You know what that’s called? A dog can’t change its ways." Lexi took a few steps, then turned around. "Don’t call out, almost everyone in this town has seen me. You’ll be trending soon."

"Lexi!" Song Qi, voice strained, looked around in panic, covered his face, then cursed, "Damn it, damn it!"

Lexi returned to the stall. Huo Hongming asked, "Where did you find such a rough friend? Anyone else would think you were kidnapped by a gangster."

Lexi replied, "Good thing I wasn’t. Otherwise, with you gloating instead of helping, I’d be dead by now. Here’s hoping the next place is safer."

Huo Hongming was speechless.

[That’s infuriating. Helping you is a favor, not helping is reasonable. And Lexi, how do you know Huo Hongming wasn’t going to help?]

[Lexi, could you get a grip?]

["Protecting Princess Lexi" tags everyone criticizing Lexi: use your brain. Only those without brains would attack Lexi. Can’t spot a green tea, can’t spot a scumbag, can’t spot a good person either. What a waste.]

[@Protecting Princess Lexi, you must be Lexi’s dog. Princess Lexi? You’re the blind one.]

[@Protecting Princess Lexi, if you like her so much, take her home. No one here does. Can’t believe someone like her has fans.]

["Protecting Princess Lexi": I love Lexi, I love Lexi…]

This comment alone exploded to over ten thousand likes, pushing all others down.

"Damn," Shen Xiaoman, watching the livestream at home, said, "Lexi actually has such passionate fans? That’s surprising. But what’s with the barrage these days? Praised Gu Xiaomo two days ago, cursed Gu Xiaomo yesterday, and now cursing Lexi. I don’t get it."

After today’s show, the rankings shifted again. The host announced:

"First place: Gu Xiaomo and Gu Junhao."

"Second place: Cui Meiying and Deng Jiachao."

"Third place: Lexi and Huo Hongming."

"Fourth place: Wang Sisi and Wang Zhuorui."

"Our team will head to the next filming location in three days—beautiful Xishan River in M City, nine hundred and eighty-four kilometers from here."

The host continued, "First place will fly, second place takes the high-speed train, and third and fourth will go on a self-driving tour."

"What?"

"Huh…"

A chorus of exclamations filled the air.

"Self-driving tour? Not by car, but by donkey cart?"

Wang Sisi said, "At least give us a horse or two! Over nine hundred kilometers—won’t the donkey’s hooves be worn out?"

[This is hilarious, haha! Production team, are you sure a donkey can make it that far?]

[I suspect they want them to walk, not ride the donkey. The donkey’s just for carrying their food.]