Capítulo 8 Una trampa para Sc*Mbag No 5
Al escuchar la conversación entre los hermanos, Jonah no la encontró demasiado dramática o molesta; al contrario, en el fondo estaba emocionado. “¡Aquí hay un tema candente justo después de la inauguración!” Extendió las manos con expresión de resignación y dijo: “No podemos evitarlo. Este es el único camino que conduce al pueblo”. Aarón estaba disgustado. “¿No puedes encontrar una solución? ¿Pueden subir las motos hasta allí? Antes de que Jonah pudiera responder, Zac miró a los hermanos y se burló. “Simplemente culpen por vestirse así a pesar de saber que estamos filmando este reality show en el campo”. Vestía ropa informal y zapatillas de deporte, especialmente para este fin.
Además, notó que, aparte de los hermanos y Leyla, los demás invitados estaban vestidos adecuadamente para hacer senderismo. “Entonces, es su problema”. Continuó sarcásticamente: “¿No viniste preparado y estás siendo dramático?” Todos los presentes quedaron atónitos por sus palabras, sin esperar que fuera tan directo. “Los rumores son ciertos. Este tipo tiene una lengua afilada”, pensaron los demás invitados. Tanto Keira como Eric también se quedaron sin palabras sobre cómo vestían los hermanos y Leyla. “Lo estás pidiendo si vienes a participar en un reality rural vestido así”.
El rostro de Aaron se ensombreció ante la burla de Zac. “¡No esperábamos quedarnos en las montañas!” Había visto otros reality shows en los que los pueblos que la gente visitaba tenían carreteras accesibles. Además, Titus esperaba que el atuendo de Jodie impresionara a los espectadores del programa. ¿Quién hubiera pensado que el equipo de producción sería tan astuto? Zac levantó una ceja y argumentó: “El equipo de producción nos informó que este programa se filmaría en el campo. Incluso si no esperabas que hubiera senderos de montaña, ¿es apropiado que te vistas así? Si no lo hubiera sabido, habría pensado que estabas aquí para una ceremonia de premiación”. Fue difícil no estallar en carcajadas ante sus palabras, sin mencionar que su descripción sarcástica fue bastante acertada. Jodie no esperaba que el hombre se burlara de ellos tan claramente delante de todos y no pudo evitar sentirse agraviada. “¡Qué hombre más insensible!” Sin embargo, cuanto más la trataba así, más quería ganárselo. Con un toque de terquedad, ella cedió. “Está bien, estoy bien. Puedo seguir caminando”. Al ver la expresión cada vez más oscura de Aaron y los ojos llorosos de Jodie, Simone interiormente levantó el pulgar hacia Zac. Al ver la situación, León no pudo evitar decir: “Probablemente no esperaba un camino de montaña. Es normal que a las chicas les guste usar vestidos y tacones altos, ¿no? No sirve de nada discutir tanto sobre esto ahora. Necesitamos encontrar una manera de ayudar a nuestras dos invitadas aquí a llegar sin problemas”.
Seeing him step in, Simone knew it was not because he was showing care for the ladies but because he wanted to save Jodie from embarrassment. Zac did not buy his excuse, though. “Well then, Mr. Foster, what do you suggest we do now?” Leon was lost for words. “How do I know what to do?” However, the ball was now in his court, plus he noticed the look of gratitude Jodie gave him. He turned to look at Jonah, asking, “Can we get a few motorcycles to get the female guests up there?” He deliberately referred to all female guests, not wanting Jodie to be singled out for special treatment, or it might affect her popularity with the viewers. Jonah replied apologetically, “The mountain road here is quite steep, even for motorcycles. Some villagers do ride up there alone, but taking passengers could be risky, so we can’t provide you guys with motorcycles.” “Who can take responsibility if something goes wrong?” For a while, everyone was at a loss for what to do. Meanwhile, fans of Zac, Aaron, and Jodie began arguing in the live chat. Aaron and Jodie’s fans criticized Zac for being rude and mannerless by mocking Jodie, the little fairy, whereas Leon was praised by them for being a courteous and warm-hearted man, forming a stark contrast with Zac. However, Zac’s fans refused to back down, arguing that it was inappropriate and posey for Jodie to participate in a rural reality show dressed like this. “Isn’t she being a burden on everyone right now? And besides, Zeus is just telling the truth. How does that make him rude and mannerless? Can’t they let someone tell them when they’re wrong?” As for casual viewers watching the live stream and the argument in the live chat, they also found Jodie somewhat less likable. On the mountain path, Jonah looked at everyone, asking, “Does anyone have a solution? It’s indeed unlikely for Miss Jodie to walk to our destination wearing high heels.” Simone replied, “That’s easy!” Everyone shifted their gaze toward her, waiting for her to continue.
She continued, “She probably has flat shoes in her suitcase. She can just change into them.” Then, she added, “Of course, if she didn’t bring any flat shoes or insists on walking in high heels, she can do that, too. If she can’t, she can let someone close to her piggyback her uphill.” After saying that, she darted a look at Aaron, implying that if Jodie could not walk, she could always turn to her doting brother for help. “Here’s to you, Sc*mbag No. 5.” This would also ruin Jodie’s plans for establishing a ‘tough girl’ persona for herself. Aaron’s expression froze at her words. He found it difficult to even walk up there by himself, let alone give Jodie a piggyback. He thus turned to look at her, asking, “Jo, did you bring shoes that are comfortable for walking?” Inwardly, she cursed Simone for being a busyb*dy. Had Simone not spoken up at this moment, she would have established her image as a tough little fairy; after walking for a while, she would have conveniently ‘recalled’ the flat shoes in her suitcase and changed into them. Now that she could not establish that image anymore, she had no choice but to slap herself lightly on the head, saying, “Oh, my! Had Simone not mentioned it, I would’ve forgotten I’d brought them.” Everyone else was left speechless. “How can you forget such a thing?” Zac sneered with a look of incredulity. Since entering the entertainment industry, he had seen too many people who acted one way in front of others and another behind their backs. Of course, he did not bother to care about them as long as these people did not mess with him. That being said, he seriously did not have a good impression of this Jodie girl. At a previous party he attended, she had approached him while pretending to be innocent, trying to flirt with him. “Do I look like someone who’s indiscriminate with women? Now, knowing that we’re going to film the show in the countryside, she dresses in such a scheme and pretends to forget her shoes. Maybe she’s trying to establish some kind of a ‘tough girl’ persona.”
In his heart, he grew wary of Jodie. “I have to keep my distance from this woman from now on.” Seeing his expression, Jodie felt even more aggrieved. “This guy is going too far!” However, she also knew that the best way to deal with this situation was to quickly find her shoes and change into them. Consequently, she was just about to go to the crew members who were helping everyone carry their luggage to get her shoes. Aaron stopped her, though. “I’ll get them for you.” The uneven dirt road made him worry that she might accidentally sprain her ankle. Seeing how much he doted on Jodie, Simone did not feel upset. In reality, she could not wait for him to act like a doting brother who spoiled his dear sister in every way possible on the show. After all, nob*dy knew yet that Jodie was not his biological sister. Once her relationship with them was revealed later, she would no longer be singled out for blame. “He doesn’t care about his sister, who’d gone missing for years and was nearly sold to the mountains, instead favoring his adopted sister unconditionally. And here’s the thing—these two aren’t related by blood. Won’t such intimate gestures lead people to think that there’s another kind of relationship between them?” Simone had previously discovered at Gray Residence that Jodie was extremely possessive of her five elder brothers. Not only that, she had a habitual fondness for intimate physical contact with them, hugging and cuddling them even when they were already adults. For instance, she had acted like a spoiled child in the living room, asking her brothers to carry her back to her bedroom. She was quick to rest her head intimately on her brothers’ shoulders and would even take the initiative to hold hands with them. “Scumbag No.
1 has a fiancee, but whenever she comes to the house, Jodie will always be tempted to seek his attention, making him neglect his girlfriend and focus solely on his ‘sister’ as if to declare sovereignty over him. Scumbag No. 2 had his eyes on a female celebrity and intended to pursue her, but Jodie furtively sabotaged his plans. Not only did she make him give up his pursuit of the female celebrity, he even developed an aversion toward her.” Since this was a live show, Jodie and Aaron’s intimate gestures were bound to reveal themselves. The more everyone praised them for their deep sibling love for each other right now, the harsher the criticisms they would face in the future. “Real sibling affections aren’t like this. I’ll let those who previously called me a player take a good look and see who the real player is.”
