CSGM - Chapter 45
Chapter 45: A Sudden Realization
The sudden outburst caught Chu Xi completely off guard.
She hadn't expected it at all and stood there dumbfounded as Ren Zhi's glove slapped her across the face, a direct hit.
She winced.
Did I say something wrong? Why is she being so aggressive?
The glove fell, and she quickly caught it. She touched the small ponytail at the nape of her neck, confused. "Ren Zhi, you..."
But as her gaze subconsciously fell on Ren Zhi again, her words died in her throat, and she was suddenly taken aback.
Ren Zhi's inner turmoil was finally showing on her face. Her complexion was pale, like a sheet of white paper.
And after that single word, "Scram," it seemed she had nothing more to say to Chu Xi. That one word was the distillation of her current mood.
Beyond that, she didn't want to say another word.
She turned to leave, but Chu Xi, with her quick reflexes, grabbed her and pulled her back.
Anger flared in Ren Zhi's heart. "Don't touch me."
"Hey, Ren Zhi, what's wrong with you? Are you not feeling well? Did I scare you just now?"
Chu Xi guessed what was going on from her expression, frowning with worry. She reminded Ren Zhi not to worry needlessly.
"What are you afraid of? With me here, how could I possibly let your horse get out of control? It's fine."
Fine, my ass!
Ren Zhi's eyes turned cold. Since Chu Xi was insisting, she pressed the issue. "Didn't I just tell you not to provoke my horse?"
Chu Xi: "Ah..."
She had said that.
But Chu Xi had felt there was absolutely nothing to worry about, which was why she hadn't listened to Ren Zhi's advice.
She hadn't realized Ren Zhi had been scared. She lowered her head slightly and gave a small nod.
It didn't seem right to argue with Ren Zhi right now. Forget it, I'll just let her talk.
She glanced at Ren Zhi's deathly pale face, reached out to pat her on the shoulder, and comforted her, "It's over now. Don't be scared."
Ren Zhi sighed. The longer she was off the horse, the more her heart rate returned to normal. The anger that had flared up earlier gradually subsided, and her expression softened a little.
"I really didn't expect you to be so timid. If I'd known, I wouldn't have invited you to ride," Chu Xi said bluntly, observing that she seemed to be okay now.
Ren Zhi looked at her, took the glove back, and put it on. Although she was no longer angry, her tone was filled with helplessness.
She told Chu Xi something very unfortunate.
"I injured and fractured my leg in a fall from a horse during a filming accident. I haven't liked riding since then. It's my fault for not telling you sooner. I shouldn't have gotten angry at you. I'm sorry."
Though she said that, Ren Zhi's expression wasn't happy. Instead, she looked exhausted, as if she had just survived a disaster.
It was then that Chu Xi had a sudden realization: she had needlessly complicated things.
No wonder Ren Zhi's riding technique, from her posture to the details, was so skilled, yet she had been unwilling to race a couple of laps with her for fun.
So that was why... It seemed she had really stirred up trouble just now...
Ren Zhi had already walked away. Chu Xi remained where she was, twirling a section of her wolf-cut hair with her finger, feeling inexplicably agitated.
She felt she had wronged Ren Zhi. No wonder Ren Zhi had been so scared and had lost her temper like that.
Sigh...
Ren Zhi returned to the stables and went about her tasks, adding hay and changing water for the horses. She was in no mood to chat with anyone, simply burying herself in her work with single-minded focus.
She especially wouldn't acknowledge Chu Xi. Whenever Chu Xi came near, she would immediately move to another spot to work.
So, a woman saying she isn't angry and a woman actually not being angry are two completely different things.
Chu Xi sighed softly and stared at Ren Zhi's back for a long while.
Perhaps seeing the two of them riding looked like fun, because Xiao Han also asked a stable hand from the horse farm to lead a white horse he had chosen out to an open area.
With the stable hand's help, Xiao Han mounted the large white horse and said, "Thanks, master. Let's go."
The stable hand held the reins and led the horse forward at a steady pace, just like a pony ride at a park.
Chu Xi didn't see what was so fun about it. It was something only a child would enjoy.
But Xiao Han seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself. He turned his head from side to side, looking at the scenery, his body bouncing on the horse's back. Suddenly, full of emotion, he began to sing:
"White dragon horse, hmm~"
Chu Xi: "!!!" She couldn't believe she was hearing this classic children's song for a second time.
Xiao Han was completely immersed.
"Hooves facing west, hmm~"
So, it turned out he actually thought he'd done a pretty good job singing this song last night. A confident expression and smile hung on the corners of Xiao Han's upturned lips.
Chu Xi said nothing and quickly turned to leave.
A while later, she walked to the outskirts of the horse farm to pick flowers.
All sorts of colorful wildflowers grew here, full of life. Mountain flowers that had been bathed in sunlight, rain, and fresh air always seemed more vibrant than those cultivated in greenhouse pots.
The variety was also abundant. Even in the cracks between the bricks, there were "moss flowers as small as rice grains, also learning to bloom like peonies."
Chu Xi picked every pretty wildflower she saw, one by one, pulling them up by the roots. Her main principle was to completely disregard the survival of nature here.
She turned, waved at the cameraman behind her, and said, "This is a bad example, so you should stop filming."
And wasn't it the truth. Right next to her stood a public service sign that read, "Cherish wild flowers and plants. Do not pick them at will."
The cameraman was stunned. After a moment's hesitation, he actually shouldered his camera and quietly walked away.
Better to film the diligent Ren Zhi taking care of the horses.
【LMAO, the show's main selling point is authenticity, right?】
【Chu Xi, you really don't treat us like outsiders, huh? Is it really okay to be so direct?】
【666, she knows it's a bad example but picks flowers like crazy. I really want to know, does she not have an agent? No team? It seems like she can do whatever she wants on the show and no one stops her.】
【I think she just moved to a new company and ditched her old agency (hearsay, might not be true).】
【Hahahaha, if Chu Xi gets fined 200 later, remember to cut to her.】
In reality, Chu Xi wouldn't be caught and fined. The wildflowers and weeds on the outskirts of the horse farm weren't monitored by anyone. The public service sign was just something the locals had put up, serving only as a moral suggestion.
Sister Xian from the horse farm saw Chu Xi from a distance and was surprised to see her engaging in such unethical behavior.
She let go of the pony she was leading and walked all the way over to Chu Xi.
"What are you doing?"
This wasn't a rhetorical question; it was astonishment.
Wow... this celebrity has no idea how to be cautious in her words and actions. Isn't she afraid of being exposed online and condemned?
Chu Xi glanced at her, her tone matter-of-fact.
"Picking flowers. Isn't it obvious?"
Such a fresh and unconventional answer. Sister Xian broke into a cold sweat.
"What are you picking them for?"
Without turning her head, Chu Xi focused on her task and replied casually, "To make a flower basket."
Anyway, even if this one basket of flowers is gone, it won't affect the natural ecosystem here.
Sister Xian stood beside her watching for a long time and was actually a little tempted.
A wild orchid was growing elegantly, its stem tall and straight. She couldn't help but feel the desire to claim it for herself.
Flowers are a limited-time item that will wither, a beautiful bubble that will burst, but women love them.
Besides, she wasn't some saint standing on the moral high ground... cough, cough...
With that thought, Sister Xian convinced herself, squatted down, and reached for the orchid.
Who knew that Chu Xi would suddenly stop her. "Wait, don't touch it. You want this one?"
Sister Xian asked doubtfully, "Can't I?"
Chu Xi glanced at the flower a few times and warned, "There are bugs in this flower. Are you sure you want it?"
Hearing this, Sister Xian immediately pulled her arm back, her eyes becoming cautious and a little avoidant.
Looking again at the orchid she had just found so delightful, she asked Chu Xi cautiously, "Are there really bugs?"
Bugs... She was terrified of bugs.
Chu Xi said, "Just take a look for yourself and you'll know."
Sister Xian craned her neck to look for a long time, muttering, "Where..."
Chu Xi pointed to a blossom on the stem. "Isn't there one in the middle?" She then pointed to another one. "And there are insect eggs inside the pistil of this one."
Sister Xian stared intently, almost wishing she had a magnifying glass. Finally, she saw the bug Chu Xi mentioned, along with some tiny white dots that looked like eggs.
They were so small she had to strain her eyes to focus just to see them.
But... hadn't Chu Xi just glanced at it?
Sister Xian was stunned.
After a moment, she came to her senses and asked, surprised and curious, "What's your vision?"
Chu Xi gave a disdainful little laugh. "I have fiery eyes and golden pupils."
Sister Xian: "..." She had never seen someone boast so brazenly.
But she knew that the flowers Chu Xi had picked were definitely bug-free, since she could spot the ones that had them.
She spotted a small purple flower in the large bouquet Chu Xi was holding, pointed to it, and asked politely, "Can you give me this one?"
Chu Xi didn't hesitate. "No."
Sister Xian: "..."
Chu Xi: "If you like it, go buy one yourself. Or ask the residents here to take you to a flower bed that's been sprayed with pesticide. You can pick whatever you want there, bug-free."
What did she mean by "ask the residents here to take you"?
Sister Xian felt something was off about that statement. She quickly clarified her identity, saying, "I'm a stable hand at this horse farm, too."
Chu Xi laughed. "No, you're not."
"Why do you say that?"
"Your work clothes are new and don't fit well. The horses here aren't familiar with you. At best, you're a connected person the production team slipped in," Chu Xi exposed her mercilessly.
Sister Xian argued, "I just got here..."
"Also, on your arms, the veins are hidden beneath the skin. There are no lines on the surface at all, completely different from the stable hands here whose forearm veins bulge from pulling reins all year round. You might be able to fool others, but don't even think about fooling me."
As she spoke, Chu Xi stood up, looked at her, and even gave her a look that said, "Do you take me for an idiot?"
Sister Xian never imagined that her disguised identity had been seen through the moment Chu Xi first laid eyes on her.
She stood there stunned for a moment, finding it hard to believe Chu Xi's observation skills were so sharp, and equally surprised by how bluntly she had spoken to her.
Chu Xi walked away, holding a large, full bouquet of flowers.
Xiang Xian sighed and went back to tell her friend—the show's Director—about what had happened.
The Director had an I-told-you-so expression. "Oh, that's normal."
Xiang Xian nodded slowly. "Alright, I admit she's a little clever."
A little clever?
The Director didn't argue with her, simply telling her, "When Chu Xi first arrived, there were still a lot of people cursing her in my live stream chat. Now that the show has been airing for two weeks, there are almost none."
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