Ning Xiaoyu came and went quietly, leaving behind a group of bewildered viewers.

To her, her actions were perfectly ordinary. When the ten minutes were up and the mission was complete, she simply cleaned up the melon seed shells and left. That was all there was to it. But to the audience, something about it felt off.

It was as if they had anticipated some kind of development for a long time but never saw what they wanted to see.

They had assumed Ning Xiaoyu was a scheming social climber, coming to the lounge just to bask in the shadow of the movie king’s fame. However, she didn’t act according to their assumptions.

They thought she would stay in the lounge for a long time, but after finishing two handfuls of melon seeds, she left decisively, as if she didn’t care for the place at all.

In short, she was utterly unpredictable.

Viewers couldn’t help but think, Were eighteenth-line actresses this quirky nowadays?

After leaving the lounge, the ‘quirky’ Ning Xiaoyu noticed that the love system had been oddly silent for a while, though she didn’t mind.

What she didn’t know was that the love system, eager to see romantic sparks, had been left with nothing but a mouthful of melon seed shells. Now, it was sitting there, doubting its very existence.

Ning Xiaoyu noticed that after completing the mission, a small addition appeared in the top-right corner of the interface. A blank spot now displayed 〖Love Points: 1〗. Not only that, but a shop icon had appeared beside it.

What could be in the shop?

Chanting ‘money, money, money’ in her heart, she opened the shop with anticipation.

And voilà!

This time, the love system did not disappoint her. Love points could indeed be exchanged for items she desperately needed in real life. With this, her father’s hospital bills might not be as stressful anymore.

────ρя


What she didn’t know was that shortly after she left, the man resting in the lounge opened his eyes.

His gaze was clear, with no trace of drowsiness.

The young man leaning casually against the wall possessed extraordinary good looks, an air of elegance, an unmatched status in the industry, and the genuine adoration of countless fans.

It was as if heaven had favored this movie king, bestowing upon him many blessings that others could only dream of. Yet few noticed the indifference and aloofness beneath his flawless demeanor.

Afternoon sunlight danced in his eyes, and as he lowered his gaze, a trace of apathy— an unintentional detachment from everything— briefly flickered.

【Did you have a good rest, Brother?】

【Brother, an eighteenth-line actress was just cracking! Melon! Seeds! Next to you! And she wasn’t even fazed by your overwhelming good looks! If it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to resist!】

【That eighteenth-line actress is something else. She cracked melon seeds without making a sound!】

【And she ate so many!】

Soon after, a staff member arrived late, apologizing profusely to Lu Jingdu, “I’m sorry, due to an error, this room was being livestreamed earlier. Did it disturb you? Would you like to switch rooms to continue resting?”

Lu Jingdu rose from the window seat. He was tall— well over 185 centimeters— with a perfectly proportioned physique that exuded elegance.

“There’s no need.”

Even his voice carried an irresistible charm, like the resonating strike of gold on stone.

Just as he was about to leave the lounge, the staff member hesitantly added, “While you were resting, a guest briefly entered the room. She didn’t stay long, only about ten minutes. I hope you don’t mind. Her name is—”

Lu Jingdu cut him off with a faint smile. “It doesn’t matter.” He said, striding out without waiting to hear the name.

To him, knowing the person’s name made no difference.

In his world, there were only two kinds of people— himself and everyone else.

────ρя


Back in her room, Ning Xiaoyu collapsed onto the bed, spreading out like a salted fish.

Rest time always flew by, and before long, it was dinnertime.

Perhaps because it was the first day of filming the variety show, the production team had prepared a lavish dinner for the guests. Tonight, there was no need to chop vegetables or cook. They could dive straight into a feast.

By the time Ning Xiaoyu reached the dining hall, most of the central seats were already taken. The long rectangular table had room for fourteen people, seven on each side. It could comfortably seat twelve.

She noticed that the seat in the very center was still vacant, likely reserved for a certain movie king. Across from that spot sat Ning Yuwei.

As a rich socialite, Ning Yuwei thrived in such social settings. The people around her naturally treated her as the center of attention, chatting enthusiastically.

Ning Xiaoyu quietly took a seat at the far end of the table, showing no interest in joining the conversation.

【Is this eighteenth-line actress socially anxious?】

【I see myself in her, haha.】

【Hahaha, but at least she’s self-aware enough to pick the farthest seat.】

If Ning Xiaoyu had seen these comments, she would’ve replied, “Not socially anxious, just a salted fish. Too lazy to bother.”

After a while, the director finally announced, “You may start eating. Movie King Lu won’t be joining us. He has other commitments.”

Hearing that the movie king would skip the first dinner gathering, viewers expressed regret, while the other guests showed mixed reactions.

Ning Xiaoyu, however, felt nothing in particular. Skipping group activities twice in a row— such was the privilege of a big shot. As a leading actor at the peak of his career, occasional indulgence was understandable.

As for herself, a true salted fish, she immersed herself in the delicious food, utterly absorbed.

While they were eating, the director reminded them, “Don’t forget to send a goodnight message to the guest you want to connect with tonight. Theoretically, you can switch your message recipient daily, but doing so might make your relationships appear superficial. I recommend sticking with the same person for at least three days. Friendships, like all relationships, lose their charm when too crowded.”

The trending heartthrob Ling Zige chuckled and said, “Director, I’m a loyal person. Not just three days— during the entire show, I’ll only send messages to one person.”

As he spoke, he winked at Ning Yuwei.

Ning Yuwei remained impassive. A star of Ling Zige’s level was beneath her notice.

She, Ning Yuwei, either wanted the best or nothing at all.

A second-line actress chimed in with a smile, “I’m the same. One-on-one friendships are my style.”

【Ooh, so who will send messages to whom tonight?】

【I’m curious!】

【Ling Zige will definitely message Ning Yuwei, but what about the others?】

【Brother, why not send a message to Xu Cheng instead? If you send one to a female guest, I’ll get jealous!】

【Relax, Upstairs, it’s just a show about socializing. In this industry, having more friends means more opportunities. There’s nothing wrong with that.】

Dinner concluded in a lively atmosphere.

While nothing significant happened during the meal, on her way back to her room, Ning Xiaoyu ‘happened’ to run into Ning Yuwei.

It seemed true that fame could enhance a person’s appearance. As a rising star, Ning Yuwei had become much more beautiful compared to her childhood days, and her demeanor had transformed.

Her peach blossom eyes, inherited from their mother, now carried the same lofty arrogance. She radiated the grace and pride of a wealthy socialite.

Upon seeing Ning Xiaoyu, Ning Yuwei smiled sweetly. “Sister, I heard you’ve been having some financial difficulties lately. Do you need me to lend you some money?” She sighed softly, adding, “You know I’ve made quite a bit these past few years. Plus, Dad has always been very generous with me, so I have more pocket money than I can spend. Just say the word, and I’ll give you as much as you need.”

The ‘Dad’ Ning Yuwei mentioned was, of course, her stepfather.

Her biological father was still lying unconscious in a hospital bed.

Having long since resigned herself to the estranged relationship with Ning Yuwei, Ning Xiaoyu casually dismissed her offer with a “No need” before walking away swiftly.

Behind her, Ning Yuwei’s voice carried an air of feigned innocence, “Sister, you really don’t have to be so polite.”

Ning Xiaoyu paused briefly but didn’t stop.

Back in her room, she stared blankly at the card with all the participants’ phone numbers.

To earn the generous paycheck promised by the production team, she naturally had to complete every task assigned by the show.

But……

Who should she send her ‘good night’ message to?

The love system suddenly spoke up, eager as ever, 〖Does that even need consideration? Of course, the movie king!〗 This is the perfect opportunity to interact with him!

However, Ning Xiaoyu had no intention of listening to the system.

Outside of assigned missions, she didn’t want any entanglement with that big shot.

She wasn’t foolish enough to invite trouble upon herself.

After some thought, she settled on someone.

Her choice was Shen Yueyue, a reserved third-line actress known for being low profile.

《Hi, My Friend》  was a friendship-based reality show, so the idea of actually forming a real friendship seemed appealing.

In her few years in the entertainment industry, Ning Xiaoyu had made a handful of acquaintances, but her busy schedule chasing after money left little room for deep connections.

Shen Yueyue’s reputation in the industry was solid, and she was known for being trustworthy. Ning Xiaoyu had even been a fan of her acting, having followed quite a few of her dramas. In her opinion, Shen Yueyue’s acting skills surpassed many other young actresses, though her lack of luck kept her from achieving greater fame.

Still, as a third-line actress, Shen Yueyue was leagues above an eighteenth-line one like Ning Xiaoyu.

With that thought, Ning Xiaoyu quickly sent a ‘good night’ message to Shen Yueyue.

Once the message was sent, she didn’t dwell on it further. Whether or not someone would message her tonight wasn’t something she cared about.

After all, in a show about socializing, there were bound to be people left unchosen. This time, one of them might be her. But as a laid-back salted fish, she didn’t mind much.

When the love system realized she hadn’t sent a message to the movie king, it practically shut down in despair.

If it had a physical form, Ning Xiaoyu could probably see just how full of resentment it was.

The system, always eager for romance, had yet to witness any sparks. It was truly struggling.

And then……

A new mission popped up within minutes.

〖Girl, the stillness of night is the perfect time to bridge the distance between you and the movie king. Now, you can send him a message to explore the depths of his uncharted heart. Here are your options:

A. Honey, my heart seems to have wandered away secretly.

B. Tonight, there’s a touch of green^[1]cuckolded above your head.

C. Honey, even though I sent someone else a good night message, my love for you hasn’t changed.〗

Ning Xiaoyu: “???”

What nonsense was this?

She was utterly exhausted.

Can she just simply destroy the system?