Reborn as Mr.CEO’s Fat Wife
Chapter 905: Pretty Women are Always Other People’s Wives

Chapter 905: Chapter 905: Pretty Women are Always Other People’s Wives

Mary Scott held a stack of hand warmers in her hands, looking a bit unsure as she gazed at everyone. Seeing no one take the initiative, she was about to put them away when Adam Piers suddenly reached out and grabbed one. "How do you use this?"

Adam’s action jolted the others back to reality. They all gathered around, and soon enough, the group was covered in hand warmers.

James Jerome patted Mary Scott’s shoulder and said, "Mary, you’ve got potential!"

Mary, wearing a snow-white fur hat that made her already petite face appear even smaller, stood amidst the icy landscape like a beautiful Arctic fox. She smiled brightly at James Jerome’s praise, and even the cameraman filming her stood frozen in awe. The viewers in the live stream were equally dazzled, with someone typing: "With looks like this, no wonder she’s Director Locke’s woman!"

"Damn it, all the beautiful women are someone else’s wife!"

"Just for Mary Scott’s face, I’ve decided to stan her!"

"Oh, so the angelic bitch is cleaning up her act now? Am I the only one who feels she’s incredibly calculating?"

"No, you’re not alone..."

The comments kept rolling in, but Mary’s earlier gesture still managed to win quite a few fans. Even the other participants in the show had a better impression of her—except Duke Blue, who was displeased with Mary stealing the spotlight.

As the most popular celebrity in "Detectives and Wilderness," Duke was considered the show’s viewership guarantee. Yet, since the live stream began, the director hadn’t mentioned him, and his camera time wasn’t much either, leaving him rather frustrated.

Still, since it was live, he couldn’t show his dissatisfaction openly. Yet, his gaze toward Mary held a subtle edge. Just then, his phone buzzed. Taking advantage of a moment when the camera wasn’t pointed at him, he glanced at the message. It was from Charlotte Leigh, clearly expressing her displeasure at Mary’s prominence on screen and urging Duke to do something about it.

Already annoyed by Mary stealing his spotlight, Duke replied, "Don’t worry."

After responding, Duke glanced ahead at the frozen lake, his brows lifting slightly. When the camera swung back toward him, he tucked away his phone and offered the camera a polished smile, causing his fans in the livestream to shower the screen with gifts and screams, madly praising how suave and gentle he was.

However, casual viewers didn’t quite get it. "Handsome, huh? He’s so effeminate. Isn’t Adam Piers standing beside him at least twice as good-looking?"

"Exactly, can the fans be a bit more realistic with their compliments?"

These comments were quickly bombarded by Duke’s fans, making the livestream atmosphere highly entertaining.

But things weren’t so lively on-site. The production team had led them to the lake before finally announcing the day’s task: fishing.

When the crew uttered those two words, everyone seemed to hear the howling of icy winds as they stared blankly at the director, their minds collectively forming a massive question mark: Are you kidding us?

Fishing...?

Looking at the endless expanse of ice, everyone was flabbergasted. Did they really have to go this far?

Simon Baker was quite satisfied with their stunned expressions. "You heard right; today’s task is fishing. Soon, we’ll have professionals giving you instructions. Before that, let’s form teams."

"Director Baker, aren’t you a bit young to be this wicked? Fishing in this freezing weather, and the ice looks pretty thick!" James Jerome protested as soon as Baker finished speaking.

Duke Blue, keen on making up for his lack of exposure earlier, responded to James’s words, "Mr. Jerome, I think Director Baker isn’t just wicked—he’s downright evil. Fishing in these conditions? Forget about that; maybe the director wants me to play a mermaid instead."

"Hahaha, I support Young Master Duke. Let’s hand him over to the director!" Stella Murray laughed loudly in agreement.

Mary raised her hand. "I have no objections."

Zoe Thatcher thought for a moment before chiming in, "I’ve got cosmetics in my bag. Director, what kind of mermaid do you like? I can help Duke."

Adam Piers coolly pocketed one hand. "Congrats, Director, on acquiring a ’mermaid’."

The production team: "..."

The livestream audience burst into laughter.

Duke feigned surprise at the crowd. "Is it too late to regret now?"

The group broke into laughter once again.

Standing a bit away, Mary watched Duke’s antics and had to admit he had some skills if he could sustain his career for so long.

The commotion brought life back to the group atmosphere.

However, no matter how amusing they were, they still couldn’t sway the director’s hardened heart. Soon after, staff members brought over a small box for everyone to draw lots for team assignments.

The crowd groaned but knew "Detectives and Wilderness" wasn’t a show one could bluff through easily. Begrudgingly, they stepped forward to draw lots.

Gentlemanly, the three men let the three women draw first. Zoe was the first to step up. Nervously eying the box, she reached in and handed her choice to the staff.

Zoe ended up paired with Mr. Jerome, which conveniently matched the show’s oldest and youngest participants. Hearing the staff announce it, James puffed up his chest in cooperation. "Little Zoe, don’t worry; Uncle Foster has got your back."

Zoe’s expression briefly flashed disappointment as she lowered her head, but she quickly recovered, her exquisitely made-up face showing delight. "Thank you, Uncle Foster!"

Stella teased from the side, "Little Zoe, you better watch out. Your Uncle Foster is old and frail—don’t end up having to take care of him."

James shot Stella a glare. "Stop telling the blunt truth!"

The group laughed.

Then it was Mary’s turn to draw. Duke glanced at her direction from the corner of his eye, then took note of the female staff responsible, his face maintaining a polite smile.

Mary didn’t want to be paired with Duke, but this blind draw came with a fifty-fifty chance. She could only rely on luck and handed her lot to the staff, who promptly announced, "Mary Scott and Duke Blue, paired together."

Mary: "....."

Oh, hell no.

Duke, unsurprised, stepped forward in coordination. "Miss Scott, don’t worry; I’ll definitely back you up."

"Thanks, Young Master Duke," Mary replied politely.

Stella chimed in brightly, "Did I just score a pretty boy?"

Adam coolly glanced at Duke, then nodded in his usual aloof style. "It seems so, Miss Murray. Isn’t this something worth celebrating? Maybe the production crew should reward everyone with a hot coffee to commemorate Miss Murray’s joy?"

Stella paused momentarily before going along with it, "Master Piers is right; Director, I demand celebration!"

The production crew: "..."

What kind of play is this?

Viewers in the livestream immediately flooded the comments with "66666," amazed at how far the participants took this.

Mary couldn’t stop laughing, giving Adam a thumbs up. True to form as Piers’s dandy young master!

The director groaned, "Fine, give each person a cup of coffee. Let’s see if you’ll still be laughing later."

The group: "..."

Brace yourselves!

Still, the warm coffee helped everyone regain some energy and even stirred a faint sense of anticipation for the challenge ahead.

"Can I call you Mary?" Duke whispered to Mary beside him.

Mary shivered at the question, already planning how to politely decline, when Zoe suddenly chimed in, "Mary, do you know how to fish? I’ve never even heard of fishing in frozen lakes during winter."

After asking, Zoe noticed Mary’s momentary pause and self-consciously scratched her head. "Can I call you Mary? I overheard your assistant using that name at the hotel."

Mary sighed inwardly. She realized that it’d either be "Mary" or "Miss Scott," but with six episodes ahead, continually being addressed formally would seem odd. Resigned, she nodded, "Sure."

Duke immediately seized the chance to join in, "Mary."

Mary broke out in goosebumps, "...."

Fuck this!

"I haven’t done this before, either, but I’ve heard about it. Since the director mentioned professional guidance, we shouldn’t end up flailing blindly. Don’t worry." Mary’s tone softened toward the younger Zoe.

Zoe nodded. By then, the others had finished their coffee and rejoined, accompanied by local fishing pros who would provide technical support.

After outlining the rules, Director Baker cracked a mischievous grin at the group: "The team that catches the least fish today will be penalized. As for the penalty, that’s confidential for now. Best of luck to you all."

The group groaned loudly, yearning to hurl the director into the icy lake itself.

That artsy hairstyle of his, who knew he’d be so wicked?

Duke leaned toward Mary. "Don’t worry, Mary; I’ll make sure we win!"

The cameras caught this interaction perfectly, and Mary smiled as she replied dismissively, "Let’s work hard together."

In the livestream, Duke’s fans erupted in anger. "What the fuck, that angelic bitch smiled at our Duke! She’s seducing him! I’m going to fight her!"

"Argh! Bitch!"

"Young Master Duke, don’t fall for it! Don’t fall for it..."

Other viewers: "..." She literally just gave a polite smile. Didn’t you notice her tone was entirely dismissive?

Regardless, it wasn’t enough to stop the livestream audience from exploding in fiery debates—all centered around Mary.

Meanwhile, the contestants at the scene remained clueless, as their toughest challenge was just beginning.

Though Director Baker might be a jerk, he was still reliable. After announcing the start, he handed out sheepskin coats, raccoon-fur hats, and Mongolian boots to everyone.

Although Mary’s hand warmers had warded off the initial chill, working on ice heightened the probability of frostbite. James Jerome was the first to forego style for warmth, leading the group in donning their bulky outfits.

Wrapped snugly, the crew followed their designated fishing expert to the icy lake. This expert, named Mr. Lu, was a local fisherman with a rugged yet earnest demeanor. He enthusiastically explained how to locate fish nests and use ice picks.

Though his regional dialect made his Mandarin somewhat clunky, Mr. Lu’s instructions were detailed. Mary attentively listened, learning for the first time that fish feared cold and tended to cluster during winter. Locating the spot was crucial to a successful catch.

Then came the technique for ice drilling—how to drill, how deep to drill—it all required precision.

After the explanation, Mr. Lu demonstrated, quickly hauling up three fat fish in no time.

Despite their varying backgrounds, none of the stars were particularly experienced with frozen lakes, much less fishing. Everyone looked on in amazement, and even the usually reserved Adam Piers seemed eager to give it a try.

Once Mr. Lu’s demonstration ended, the program team distributed tools to the three groups and announced the challenge’s official kickoff.

The teams immediately jumped into action.

Soon enough, reality hit them hard.

Watching Mr. Lu locate fish nests and drill ice had seemed easy, but when it was their turn, confusion set in. Even James Jerome, with his life experience, didn’t fare much better.

After much back-and-forth, the three teams barely managed to decide on drilling spots. But breaking through the ice proved the real ordeal.

In Earlbind, winters were harsh, with temperatures lingering around minus ten degrees Celsius. The lake’s surface was thoroughly frozen, making it incredibly tough to pierce through.

Mary gripped her ice pick and exerted effort for the millionth time, only managing to chisel out a tiny dent. Meanwhile, beside her, Duke, who had promised to "back her up," stood idly watching her drill with an air of interest, not even attempting to lend a hand.

In contrast, the other two teams had the men handling the ice picks while the women assisted. Out of the corner of her eye, Mary shot Duke a glance.

Duke met Mary’s gaze without any sense of guilt, while Mary, drenched in a fine sheen of sweat from her last burst of effort, barely managed to carve out a shallow hole. She looked up earnestly at Duke and said, "This ice drilling is quite fun. Would Young Master Duke like to give it a try?"

"Sure." Having spent the past moments carefully observing Mary from behind the camera, Duke found her unusually captivating—even while performing rough physical labor. He reflexively accepted the ice pick before his brain could catch up.

Mary smiled, wiped the sweat off her face, and turned to assess the other teams’ progress. To her surprise, Adam and Stella’s hole seemed almost done.

She was taken aback. She had always assumed someone like Adam, the quintessential dandy heir, would be physically frail. But today, he had proven to be quite capable—in both strength and diligence.

James Jerome wasn’t far behind.

Mary glanced back at Duke. Though he had just started, his movements looked feeble as if he’d been working tirelessly for hours.

Mary examined the barely deepened ice hole, subtly blew at the fluff on her hat, and exaggeratedly raised her fist. "Master Piers’s ice hole is nearly done! Young Master Duke, keep going!"

Duke, despite his years in the entertainment industry, maintained his slender physique not through exercise but by starving himself. Couple that with irregular living habits and an overly indulgent nightlife, and his body was already worn to the bone. Though he heard Mary’s cheer, his stamina was lacking, and he soon found himself sweating buckets, yet he continued working at his own leisurely pace.

Meanwhile, Duke’s fans erupted in the livestream!

Because all three groups were simultaneously breaking ice, the camera time was spread thin. Unfortunately for Mary, she was blocked by Duke earlier while working hard, leading many viewers to assume she had been slacking off. With Duke now looking particularly exhausted, his fans couldn’t bear it.

"That angelic bitch! She’s so vile, making our Duke slave away like this!"

"Yeah! Look at what she’s done to him. If she won’t work, she should just get lost. What is this nonsense?"

"Mary Scott, get out!"

Adding fuel to the fire, the camera captured Mary still encouraging Duke with what seemed like a "sincere" smile. Fans were incensed, and the heat quickly grew online, pushing Mary onto trending topics.

Already polarizing in public opinion, Mary was now being roasted for "laziness," the backlash intensifying with hashtags like #YoungMasterDukeSobStory# trending alongside it.

David Locke, far away in Switzerland, opened domestic Twitter only to see Mary trending. His brows furrowed tightly. This woman really knows how to stir up trouble!