Oops! I Became a Fan of My Rival Idol! - Chapter 19

After everyone had rested and the production crew reminded them to start filming, they set off again.

Buying supplies wasn’t a difficult task, and without the regular guests accompanying them, it was clear that most of the footage would focus on the courtyard. That’s why only the four of them had chosen to come out this time.

Entering the relatively bustling town, they quickly picked out and purchased everything they needed.

Each of them carried a large bag of items—except for the “delicate and frail” Shu Bailian, whose things were all taken over by Jian Luobai beside her.

Somehow, Qiao Huihui couldn’t help but mentally pair the two of them together whenever she saw them. Their dynamic was just too much like a couple’s.

Qiao Huihui was especially curious—how could Jian Luobai tolerate Shu Bailian’s antics so easily? Could she really be that kind-hearted?

But then again, she didn’t treat anyone else this well.

Before Qiao Huihui could figure it out, something unexpected happened. A man on a motorcycle sped past them, and Shu Bailian’s scream rang out—her phone, which she had been holding, had been snatched.

Everything happened too fast. By the time Qiao Huihui processed it, the man was already far away.

Shen Nanqing reacted slightly quicker, grabbing Qiao Huihui and pulling her into her arms.

At that moment, Qiao Huihui didn’t even notice Shen Nanqing’s instinctive reaction. Instead, she gaped at Jian Luobai, who had just hurled the two heavy bags in her hands like shot puts, her eyes following the “shots” until they struck the robber.

It was worth noting that Jian Luobai had been carrying the heaviest items, including a sack of rice weighing dozens of pounds.

Qiao Huihui cheered inwardly, unable to hold back her admiration.

That aim was impressive!

The man staggered from the impact, and his motorcycle swerved, crashing into a nearby vegetable stall.

But the robber still tried to abandon his bike and flee. Like a martial arts master from a wuxia novel, Jian Luobai sprinted after him, leaped into the air, and delivered a powerful kick to his back, sending him sprawling to the ground.

By then, the onlookers had snapped out of their shock, and several young men rushed forward to pin the man down.

So cool!

That was Qiao Huihui’s immediate thought, and she shouted it out loud: “So cool!”

Shen Nanqing gave her a helpless look before letting her go.

Given the situation, there probably wasn’t any danger left.

Qiao Huihui ran toward them, but someone was even faster—a figure dashed past her and threw herself into Jian Luobai’s arms.

The familiar sound of sobbing followed: “Wahhh… I was so scared! Luobai, thank you for saving me!”

Qiao Huihui was used to it by now and actually found it kind of endearing. Smiling, she watched Jian Luobai flounder as she tried to comfort Shu Bailian, as if witnessing something amusing.

She walked over to where the robber was being restrained, yanked off the black hood covering his head, and frowned. “Who even robs people in broad daylight these days?” Not to mention they weren’t even walking alone—there were plenty of pedestrians around. This guy had some nerve.

A nosy auntie nearby overheard and quickly chimed in, “Oh dear, you girls must be from out of town. You wouldn’t know, but this kind of thing happens often around here. They’re a gang of motorcycle thieves who specifically target women. Sometimes when you’re just walking down the street, a motorcycle suddenly zooms by, and your gold necklace or earrings are gone. Since they always wear helmets, they’re never caught. But this time, they finally got one!”

Upon hearing this, Qiao Huihui’s first reaction was disbelief. What era was this? How could such things still exist?

A dark force committing crimes with impunity, never getting caught—until a group of passersby happened by, and one righteous hero stepped in to uphold justice. Why did this plot sound so familiar?

Her complicated gaze fell on Jian Luobai, leaving the latter utterly confused.

“What’s wrong?”

“You shouldn’t be here. You belong in ancient times…”

Girl, you’re clearly not following the same script as the rest of us. We’re here for a rural farming variety show, and you’re out here playing the ancient heroine who rights wrongs and defends justice.

With this incident happening midway, filming naturally had to be halted. During the commotion, Shu Bailian took advantage of the distraction to viciously kick the man on the ground twice, hissing darkly, “Dare to rob me? If there weren’t so many people around, I’d crack open your pig skull!”

Unfortunately, Qiao Huihui saw it all.

Shu Bailian turned her head, locking eyes with Qiao Huihui, her expression still menacing.

Qiao Huihui: “…” She offered a friendly smile.

Shu Bailian paused, then smoothed her hair and instantly reverted to her timid, delicate persona.

That’s the one—the fairy who can’t even twist open a bottle cap in public but threatens to crack skulls in private.

Still the same master of the art of face-changing.

Qiao Huihui’s heart was a tangle of emotions.

The police arrived quickly. After taking the man away, they took brief statements and let the group go.

The man kept shouting that Shu Bailian had hit him when no one was looking and had verbally threatened him.

Shu Bailian’s face instantly paled. Two crystal-clear tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked utterly shocked, swaying unsteadily as if about to faint. “Wuwuwu, I didn’t! How could anyone be so evil, slandering me like this? Wuwuwuwu…”

Jian Luobai hurriedly caught her from behind, pulling her into an embrace. She scowled fiercely, her eyes filled with disgust as she glared at the man. “Still causing trouble even after being caught?”

Then she lowered her head to comfort Shu Bailian gently. “Don’t be scared, Xiao Lian. We all know you’re a kind girl. He’s just making things up.”

Qiao Huihui scratched her head. Meeting Jian Luobai’s gaze seeking confirmation, she forced a cheerful smile and said, “Yeah, yeah. Xiao Lian is so gentle and kind. We all believe you.”

Only then did Shu Bailian stop crying, slowly pulling away from Jian Luobai’s arms.

With filming interrupted, Qiao Huihui and the others no longer needed to maintain the show’s facade. The crew brought a van to transport them and their supplies back to the farmhouse.

On the ride back, Qiao Huihui couldn’t resist asking, “Luobai, how do you know martial arts?”

The question instantly drew the attention of everyone else in the van—clearly, they were all curious too.

This wasn’t hard to understand. After all, it was martial arts—something rarely seen in modern society. Not to mention, when a slender girl subdued a burly man, it naturally piqued everyone’s intense curiosity.

“Hmm…” There wasn’t anything she couldn’t share. Jian Luobai readily explained to them, “When I was little, I lived next to a temple. Whenever my parents were busy with work, they’d leave me at the temple for childcare. That’s how I ended up learning from the monks.”

Shu Bailian was the most enthusiastic. She gasped in admiration, staring at Jian Luobai with wide eyes. “You’re amazing!”

Flustered by such direct praise, Jian Luobai grinned sheepishly, revealing a set of pearly white teeth.

She pointed at her hair and added, “I used to be bald—only grew my hair out temporarily for the show.”

While others chuckled good-naturedly at this, Shu Bailian reacted unusually, looking suddenly tense. She grabbed Jian Luobai’s hand in alarm. “Are you a nun?”

“Huh?” Jian Luobai was taken aback. “No, of course not. If I’d taken vows, I wouldn’t be here on this show.”

Shu Bailian exhaled in relief. “That’s good, that’s good.”

Qiao Huihui couldn’t help but frown at the scene. She had noticed earlier that Shu Bailian had been treating Jian Luobai as little more than a tool, never showing much concern before. Why the sudden change today?

“We’re here,” Shen Nanqing, who had been silent the whole time, tugged at Qiao Huihui’s sleeve, signaling her to get out of the car.

Pushing the door open, Qiao Huihui saw Xia Niao sitting on a small stool by the entrance, busily sorting vegetables.

Spotting their return, Xia Niao beamed. “You’re back! Just in time for dinner.”

Her cheerful call drew the attention of others in the courtyard. Li Sheng laughed. “Finally! You took so long just buying groceries. We were about to go looking for you.”

Carrying the bags, Qiao Huihui stepped out of the car and said, “We ran into a robbery on the way. That’s what delayed us.”