Overprotected By My Tsundere CEO

Chapter 814 - 526: On the Road [16] - Nora Scott: I Really Didn’t Mean to Embarrass the Guide [Second Update]

As soon as the car stopped, the back door was opened, and a tall woman stepped down, holding a huge backpack, but her stance was relaxed.

The woman appeared to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with delicate features, short smart hair, bright eyes, wearing a jacket and military pants, with military boots on her feet—very efficient.

"Hello everyone." Andrea greeted them with a smile, "My name is Andrea, and I will be your guide for the next three days."

Valeria Young immediately chimed in, "Hello, guide. Hello, Andrea."

Clement Winter nodded, "Hello."

Nora Scott stood quietly aside, watching, without speaking.

Marcus Shaw and Oliver both remained silent.

Nelson, tasked by the show to welcome newcomers, stepped forward eagerly, "Hello, hello, I’ve heard a lot about you."

Valeria Young cooperatively asked, "Andrea, what’s your role?"

"Andrea is amazing, a very famous survival expert who’s recently participated in a survival show. Awesome stuff. I recall you eating a snake on the show, right? Was it real or fake?"

Andrea smiled, "It was real."

The three of them smoothly revealed Andrea’s role through their conversation.

In short, Andrea is a recent sensation in a wilderness survival reality show, a former survival expert, attractive, with ample experience, gaining viewers’ admiration with her hard-edged survival skills and unyielding courage.

However, being on reality shows consecutively means she’s probably moving towards the entertainment industry, likely having signed with an agency already.

After brief introductions, Andrea got acquainted with the group and then smiled, pulling out a red note, "I heard there’s a budget of a hundred bucks, should we go shopping first?"

She seemed pretty easy-going.

Amidst the bright sunlight, the group, in a mighty procession, set off.

Originally, the plan was for Nora Scott and Clement Winter to decide on the hundred dollars, but with Andrea’s appearance, this arrangement was selectively overlooked. Marcus Shaw and Oliver were unaware, but Valeria Young and Nelson tacitly agreed to let Andrea manage the hundred dollars.

After all—

This is an expert!

If Nora Scott and Clement Winter were to spend the money, it certainly wouldn’t be as wisely spent as Andrea would.

A hundred dollars, seven people. Buying formal meals was out of the question; they could only buy some dry food, like chocolates, Snickers bars, and compressed biscuits, but there wasn’t much to buy.

These items were obviously not enough, so for their formal meals, the production team would make separate arrangements.

Nora Scott, Clement Winter, Marcus Shaw, and Oliver didn’t have much enthusiasm, trailing along leisurely, occasionally listening to Andrea share wilderness survival knowledge, and with Nelson and Valeria Young playing along, it was simply a way to pass time and watch the scene unfold.

Nora Scott had high expectations for her fellow survival companions—experience mattered, but so did character and conduct. In the wilderness, blind arrogance and conceit could cost lives. Yet after spending some time with Andrea, Nora Scott faintly felt—this guide might not have been a good choice.

Probably had some hiking experience, but little survival experience; read some resource books, lacked field experience.

In short: all talk, no action.

Andrea seemed approachable and easygoing, but in fact carried the pride of a professional, a bit conceited.

In ten minutes, Andrea spent the hundred bucks, and with Valeria Young’s skillful negotiation, they got a twenty-percent discount from the shopkeeper and two extra Snickers bars.

"The gear of both boys might be inadequate." After buying the stuff, Andrea looked over Marcus Shaw and Oliver, her expression a bit quirky, "I discussed with the production team, your hiking equipment isn’t up to standard, so we need to repurchase. Let’s head to the city first."

Nora Scott raised an eyebrow.

She glanced at her own full desert hiking gear. —Was this not "up to standard"?

However, Marcus Shaw and Oliver weren’t prepared for hiking, and indeed their gear was insufficient, so they stayed silent, letting Andrea confidently ramble on.

Clement Winter was actually a bit annoyed. —The gear was prepared by Mrs. Winter, and he felt it was excellent, not a single thing missing, nothing unnecessary, so he didn’t quite agree with Andrea’s statement.

But, the decision had been made.

On the way to the city, Andrea gave each person directions and listed necessary items for them.

"You—"

Andrea was the last to approach Nora Scott.

Nora Scott immediately said, "I don’t need anything."

Andrea was stunned for a moment, and then carefully studied Nora Scott.

She was slightly surprised.

All the outdoor gear was branded and chosen from the expensive ones, one piece of clothing costing more than Andrea’s whole outfit.

—Probably bought all at once with recommendations from brand store staff.

Andrea had no patience for such overconfident people without experience, her expression immediately soured, her enthusiasm waning a bit, "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Nora Scott lazily closed her eyes.

"Alright then."

Andrea said no more.

—Anyway, whether it ends in embarrassment or a bad experience, it’s her own business.

*

The whole morning was spent rummaging, and by the time the production crew drove to the starting point of the hiking trail, it was already one in the afternoon.

The sun was scorching.

As soon as Nora Scott got off the car, she tossed her backpack on the ground, and sat down carelessly, taking out a sunhat, sunglasses, headscarf, fanny pack, and trekking poles from her bag.

She moved quickly and efficiently, and in no time, she had all her gear on, her stunningly beautiful face completely hidden by the headscarf, not a glimpse could be seen.

Andrea specifically came over to see Nora Scott’s embarrassing look, but when she saw Nora’s complete gear, she was stunned, then smirked after a while and walked away.

—What good is having full equipment? There will be a time for her to cry.

"Everyone, check your equipment to make sure nothing goes wrong."

Andrea said loudly.

Everyone did as instructed.

Nora Scott got up, carrying her backpack, dusted off the sand from her body, taking in the world through her sunglasses with thorough protection, leisurely.

—This hiking trail is just too easy.

—Not a challenge at all.

"Sis, let’s go!"

Oliver Scott waved to Nora Scott.

Nora held the trekking poles, strolling over as if taking a leisurely walk, trailing at the end of the group.

Valeria Young: "Andrea, what do we need to watch out for when hiking in the desert?"

Andrea: "Sun and sand protection are definitely the priorities. Also, drinking water is important. Remember to drink before you’re thirsty, just a small sip each time, to optimize absorption..."

Valeria Young: "Andrea, have you hiked a trail like this before?"

Andrea: "I have, we did a seven days, six nights hike before, and it was during the peak of summer..."

...

Before, it was only Valeria Young chattering nonstop, but now Andrea joined in, and the atmosphere of the whole trip was extremely lively (noisy).

Nora Scott wanted to ask Clement Winter for earplugs, but seeing the camera zooming in, she sighed and gave up.

At least at this point, the sun was scorching the earth, with ground temperatures exceeding forty degrees. Valeria Young, excited for a time, got worn out by the sun and quieted down quickly. Andrea, with a dry mouth from talking, kept drinking, and by the time she realized she drank too much, it was already too late.

—At this rate, the water sack she prepared for a day wouldn’t last.

They have backup water sacks for emergencies, but inexperienced guests could use them, not her type, a "seasoned" survival expert, who should strictly control water usage, can’t afford such a rookie mistake...

Andrea bowed her head in deep thought, considering arranging a "find water" segment.

...

As time passed, the harsh environment greatly reduced their speed, and the guests started to feel tired. Even Andrea felt overwhelmed. The twenty-kilometer journey involved countless breaks, and by seven or eight in the evening, they still hadn’t reached their destination.

"Sis, are you tired?"

Oliver Scott was amazed to see Nora Scott’s pace, which hadn’t changed since the start.

When the sun was about to set, Nora Scott took off her sunglasses and headscarf, leaving only the sunhat. She turned to look at Oliver and calmly said, "Not tired."

"Your stamina is really..." Oliver marveled, then shook his head, "At this pace, we won’t reach the destination, so we may camp nearby."

"Hmm."

For Nora, who treated it like a casual stroll, it didn’t matter, she had no objections.

But after a while, Andrea gathered everyone and said, "It’s too late, we’ll camp nearby. We’ll set off early tomorrow. I’ll find a spot, then we’ll split into two groups, one to find water, see if we can find some cacti or something, and the other according to the program’s arrangements to find food."

Nora Scott furrowed her brows.

Having listened to them chatter the whole way, Nora Scott finally couldn’t help but speak: "There’s a river less than two kilometers away, why are we looking for water?"

Andrea: "..."

Guests + Production Team: "..."