Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself-Chapter 289: Little Brother, Impressive

Xie Qingci really had great stamina. After doing push-ups with weights, he walked such a long distance with a backpack. Apart from slightly unstable breathing, he was calm and normal in every other aspect.

Yu Xia nodded heavily, unfolded her jacket over her head, licked her dry lips, and continued forward.

Her calves were already quite tense, but she did her best not to let Xie Qingci notice, trying to speed up towards the chosen rest area, fearing that at any moment, their pursuers might jump out yelling, "Where do you think you’re going?"

They finally entered the woods, where various branches and leaves blocked five or six layers of sunlight.

Beneath their feet were fallen leaves, many of which were withered, making a rustling sound when stepped on, along with fallen branches blocking the path, threatening to trip them unexpectedly.

Xie Qingci snapped off a finger-thick stick from an obstructing log, using it as a makeshift walking stick, poking at the dry leaves and branches ahead before proceeding.

Yu Xia, curious, peeked over from behind him and asked, "Why poke like that?"

"In case there are snakes."

"..." She froze in place immediately, her eyes widening while lowering her voice, "Sn-snakes?"

It was as if speaking louder would actually scare a snake out.

Xie Qingci turned to look at her, stifling a laugh, and honestly nodded, "Yes, but there might also be birds and other small animals."

Yu Xia couldn’t care less about other small animals; the word ’snake’ had already taken over her entire mind.

"Why don’t we just leave and take another path? I can manage a whole day and night walking in the blazing sun."

"What if we run into the pursuers outside? Besides, I’m just being cautious; there’s a ninety percent chance there won’t be any snakes out looking for food right now."

"Forage, for food?"

Her scalp tingled, as someone who once faced snakes on a nature show, she used to be so afraid that even her brother’s belt scared her, to the point of throwing it away. She hadn’t thought about it in years, and now it seemed she had to face snakes again?

"You see," she tried to calm herself down, "as a warm-blooded animal, I do have a bit of an aversion to cold-blooded animals. I think two species meeting unexpectedly isn’t a good idea."

Xie Qingci chuckled softly as he explained, removing his backpack.

"But I have a feeling this is the right path, and at this time of day, there’s a ninety percent chance snakes won’t be active. But if you’re really scared, I can carry you."

He handed her the backpack, squatting down in front of her.

Yu Xia started to think he was doing it deliberately.

Deliberately mentioning snakes, then deliberately watching her get scared and seizing the chance to suggest carrying her.

As narcissistic as it sounded, it wasn’t impossible.

She glanced at the drone, and after thinking for a moment, said, "No need, I’ll just... hey!"

Xie Qingci pressed her behind her knees against his back, causing her to land helplessly on him. He then clenched her legs with his fists, stood up straight, and even bounced her up a bit for a more comfortable position.

Yu Xia tried hard to suppress the sound she wanted to make as she listened to him say:

"Hold the bag, I’ll walk faster, so even if the pursuers come into the woods, hearing the crunching of dry branches will give us a head start."

She muffled a small "Oh."

No need to guess; the audience watching the show were probably already screaming.

[Xie Qingci, you are amazing]

[I knew you’d outdo that actual couple; you’ve got me hooked]

[Little brother’s A-game is on! That dominant vibe in conquering sister is so drool-worthy, woo woo woo woo]

[So this is the appeal of a younger boy? Strong and getting things done, charging headlong with nothing but heat, completely unignorant]

[All you see is Xie Qingci, why am I, a girl, infatuated with Yu Xia? She was a giant when she was scolding Luo Sheng with Ling Luo!]

[For a moment, I thought Ling Luo fell for her, hahaha]

[Body is frantic, mind restrained, Xie Qingci’s hands were clenched the whole time, never touching Yu Xia’s leg, man, if that’s not worth shipping, what is!]

[I desperately want to see how Yu Xia would act in a relationship, like when asking for a hug from her boyfriend, would she be shy and pouty like Ling Luo, or demanding him to come over for a hug?]

[Demanding him for a hug, hahahahaha, that’s more of a brotherly hug!]

[Little brother can’t hold back anymore, last episode didn’t carry her when she said she didn’t need it. This time he acted without waiting for her refusal. Mom, I want to drown in others’ love]

[I’ve shaken my boyfriend’s brain close to mashing and he still won’t admit he can do sixty-six push-ups with me on his back]

[Just started a new Weibo: "How long can Yu Xia last under Xie Qingci’s attacks?" Feel free to check in, friends]

[...]

Unlike the lively online chatter, the woods were quiet.

Yu Xia lay silently on Xie Qingci’s back, turning her head to stare at the air, neither looking at him nor the path ahead.

But under the cover of the jacket, her hand clinging to his back was scratching his shirt.

She’d scratch until a little bump formed, then press it flat, and continue scratching.

Xie Qingci walked steadily at a brisk pace, not reacting to her constant fiddling.

In the silent moment, Yu Xia suddenly patted Xie Qingci’s shoulder, pointing to a plant on the slope to the right:

"What’s that thing that looks like a mulberry and a strawberry?"

Xie Qingci carried her over, took a closer look.

"It’s a mountain berry, edible."

Yu Xia took the opportunity to get off his back, "Then let’s pick some; I seriously doubt we’ll have a meal today."

She removed the lid of her water bottle to hold the picked mountain berries. They looked quite fragile, requiring careful handling to avoid squashing them with her fingers.

But things with thin skins are always hard to keep intact. Despite her caution, she accidentally crushed two, causing bright red juice to flow onto her finger, which she absentmindedly licked clean.

"Pretty sweet, you should try some."

Xie Qingci stared at the red tip of her finger, his Adam’s apple moving.

Then the bottle lid blocked his view as Yu Xia raised her hand and said, "Go on, try it."

"..." He picked one and ate it, tiny as it was, he hardly felt the juice, but still said, "Pretty sweet."

"Just enough to moisten your tongue, eat some more." She said, squatting to pick more below.

He kept eating, she kept picking, until they’d picked all the red ones, and she tentatively tried a yellow one, her face scrunching up instantly.

"Ugh, ripe ones are sweeter."

Xie Qingci handed her the remaining mountain berries, "You can finish these, let’s rest here for a bit."

"Alright," she didn’t mind they hadn’t been properly washed, munching away, she asked, "Is it noon now? How do we manage lunch? This place doesn’t look like it has food, even if it does, who knows if it’s edible."

What if we pick a poisonous mushroom and end up lying down to die together.

---

Red cap, white stem, eat and lie down together~