Chapter 7: Time to Live

【Hahaha, this is killing me, Jiang Mi’s mouth is really sharp.】

【I’m witnessing the legendary ‘treating others the way they treat you.’】

【I knew Jiang Mi would say something like this, too funny.】

【It’s strange, Jiang Mi used to speak so sharply, it was annoying, but now she’s cocky and somehow kind of likable!】

“Hey, don’t waste any more filming time,” Jiang Mi retorted to Shen Mingxuan word for word.

Shen Mingxuan’s face turned dark, and he snapped, “Jiang Mi, stop it!”

“Excuse me, I haven’t even spoken a word before someone pointed at my nose and cursed at me. Who’s the one who needs to stop?” Jiang Mi shot back.

Shen Mingxuan, his face a stormy blue, was speechless.

Chen Wanru’s face was flushed, her anger building, but she didn’t know how to respond.

Jiang Mi sneered, about to escalate her attack, but her eyes suddenly noticed the tall, cold figure of Gu Chuan at the door.

His sharp, chilling eyes instantly softened, and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

A woman in an elegant red dress, like a swallow in flight, dashed toward him.

“Gu Ge, look…” The woman clung to his arm, coquettishly pointing at Chen Wanru. In a sweet tone, she whined, “She’s bullying me. No, she, and she,” she added, gesturing to the others. “They’re all bullying me.”

The people watching the scene were left dumbfounded: “…”

Who’s bullying who here?!

Chen Wanru, Shen Mingxuan, and Bai Ruanruan together hadn’t been able to stand up to Jiang Mi!

But as the crowd looked at the two of them, closely entwined, they suddenly felt like nothing else mattered. These two were ridiculously well-matched. Despite their physical differences, they made such a power couple!

Jiang Mi held onto Gu Chuan tightly.

Their body heat seemed to merge through the thin fabric between them.

Gu Chuan’s muscles were tense, his face even colder, his eyes dark and focused on the crowd—chilling, frightening, and commanding!

Seeing things spiraling out of control, the director finally stepped forward to mediate.

Cough, cough, “The last guest has arrived. Let’s move on to the next part…”

“Apologize.”

The two simple words felt like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating waves of chaos.

【Whoa, just earlier, people were saying that Mimi was chasing after them to apologize, but this is clearly a mutual effort!】

【Even though it seems forced, the hero saving the beauty is seriously so incredibly sweet!】

【I don’t care, they’re real!】

Bai Ruanruan, looking at Gu Chuan, couldn’t hold back her tears. She called out softly, “Gu Ge.”

Gu Chuan’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.

Bai Ruanruan’s eyes reddened further as she clutched at his sleeve, her gaze pitiful as she looked up at him.

Jiang Mi raised an eyebrow. “Bai Ruanruan, have you thrown enough flirtatious glances?”

“I didn’t!” Bai Ruanruan bit her lip, secretly frustrated. How come Gu Chuan wasn’t like other men? Why wasn’t he heartbroken when he saw her cry?

“Whether you did or not, hurry up and apologize. Everyone’s waiting,” Jiang Mi showed no mercy as she teased the female lead.

Bai Ruanruan looked around, only to find not a single person was willing to stand up for her.

Even Shen Mingxuan, after hearing Jiang Mi’s comment about her batting her eyelashes, had lost the will to defend her.

Bai Ruanruan wiped away her tears, sobbing, “Mimi, it’s all my fault, I just wanted to help you get more camera time, but I didn’t expect… sniff, sniff… I’m sorry.”

Jiang Mi sneered, “Bai Ruanruan, if you’re going to apologize, do it properly. Don’t be all teary-eyed. I didn’t cry when I was dragged down with you and faced a storm of online criticism. Why are you crying? Trying to gain sympathy?”

Bai Ruanruan’s face went pale. “I didn’t!”

“You’re acting like I bullied you. Should I apologize too? Would that make you stop crying?” Jiang Mi taunted.

【Hahaha, Jiang Mi is ruthless! She’s got the perfect combination of sassy and bold!】

【This is hilarious, watching these female stars fight is so entertaining!】

【No one but Jiang Mi! Other female stars just throw shade, but none of them would dare to be this bold!】

Bai Ruanruan didn’t know whether to cry or not, her head lowered, her eyes full of hatred.

Shen Mingxuan couldn’t bear to see her like this and finally snapped, “Jiang Mi, enough!”

Jiang Mi instantly put on an innocent, pouty look. “Gu Ge, he’s bullying me, can you punish him for me?”

Gu Chuan: “….”

Shen Mingxuan: “….”

The director finally couldn’t hold back and prepared to step in.

“Cough, cough, now that all the guests are here, let’s do some self-introductions and get to know each other. The voting link will also be opened. The winner will have absolute control over the next steps.”

【This ‘absolute control’ has some deep meaning!】

【I’ve heard this dating show is taking things to the next level, like, pushing the edge of what’s acceptable! Can’t wait!】

Bai Ruanruan took a moment to gather herself and kindly asked, “But director, we still have ordinary people here, won’t this voting be unfair?”

The director smiled mysteriously. “True, celebrities have a natural advantage, but from here on out, it will depend on talent and personality. Also, in love, there’s never such a thing as fairness.”

The self-introduction rules: introduce yourself using talents or hobbies that highlight your profession or strengths. The type is not limited.

Jiang Mi lazily flicked her lashes. This segment was clearly designed to showcase the female lead—everyone else’s introductions were pretty standard, like singing or giving speeches, but the female lead would go last and perform a stunning dance that would captivate everyone, winning the competition.

“You have two minutes to prepare!”

Immediately, the group began whispering amongst themselves.

System Benben also kept educating Jiang Mi.

【Mimi, you’re bullying the female lead too much, this isn’t right.】

Jiang Mi started to play along. “I’m not bullying her, I’m helping her.”

【You’re lying, I saw you make her cry, how pitiful!】

“Well, tears are the cornerstone of success. The female lead is on her way to the top of the entertainment industry. On her journey, she’ll meet many bad guys, but if she stays this pure and good, she’ll only be bullied more.”

“My ‘bullying’ now is just helping her level up and gain experience, so in the future, she can bully the bad guys instead of being bullied.”

【Hmm, that actually makes sense.】

“Benben, we, the villainous supporting characters, aren’t just tools, we have flesh and soul. Our purpose is to help the female lead grow. How can one see the rainbow without weathering the storm? No one becomes successful easily!”

Jiang Mi’s words sounded high and noble!

Benben, inspired, nodded vigorously!

【Mimi, you’re right!】

“Good, go have fun now.”

【Okay!】

After sending Benben off, it was time for the self-introductions to begin.

To her surprise, the female lead didn’t go last. Instead, she rushed forward and was the first to stand up.

Did her little butterfly wings really cause this much of a stir?

Bai Ruanruan didn’t know when she changed into a water-sleeve gown, her appearance delicate and elegant, like a gentle, refined lady.

“Hello everyone, I’m Bai Ruanruan. It’s so nice to meet you all. I’ve always been a bit clumsy, not particularly talented, but I’ll just dance a simple one for you all.”

Everyone, showing good manners, clapped for her.

The sound of a guqin playing softly filled the air, and Bai Ruanruan danced gracefully.

From Jiang Mi’s professional classical dance perspective, Bai Ruanruan’s performance was flawless. Her posture, her expression—she nailed it, no surprise she was the female lead.

But perhaps due to their earlier argument, most people hadn’t fully reacted yet, and their response to the female lead’s graceful dance wasn’t as enthusiastic as expected.

Bai Ruanruan realized this and looked a bit disappointed as she finished. Shen Mingxuan naturally tried to comfort her.

“Ruanruan, I’ll play a piece on the guqin for you, don’t be upset.”

“Xuan Ge, you’re so nice.”

Shen Mingxuan, the best actor, always carried an air of elegance. His performance was equally grand—playing the violin.

Coming from a wealthy family, Shen Mingxuan had been trained in the violin since childhood. His skill was top-notch, the kind that never faltered.

But the problem was, the violin was better suited for a solemn concert hall or a luxurious, elegant Western restaurant.

But here, in the countryside, surrounded by cameras and staff, with animals in the nearby corners, the setting just didn’t fit.

Still, given his star status, everyone applauded him with great enthusiasm.

Bai Ruanruan seemed to want to provoke Jiang Mi on purpose. She lavished Shen Mingxuan with praise, which prompted him to gently ruffle her hair. The two of them were as sweet as could be.

Jiang Mi felt no stir in her heart, and the most she could think was: respect, and best wishes.

Bai Ruanruan, perhaps afraid Jiang Mi didn’t notice her sweet moments with Shen Mingxuan, deliberately called out to her, “Mimi, what do you think of Xuan Ge’s violin performance?”

Just then, the system Benben issued a task.

【Mimi, praise the male lead sincerely!】

Jiang Mi: “???” Here we go again!