Chapter 11: The Wealthy CEO’s Money Power

The sweet and petite influencer, Lu Yu, gained internet fame two years ago with a viral “Bunny Dance” video. After graduating, she went full-time as a social media influencer.

Initially, Lu Yu planned to perform the Bunny Dance again. However, staring at the disemboweled bunny plush lying nearby, she chickened out and quickly changed her tune. “I’ll show everyone how to shoot videos that make your legs look super long instead!”

[Comment Section]

• “Little Taro wore a JK skirt today—I really thought she’d do the Bunny Dance!”
• “It’s not that she won’t dance—she doesn’t dare to. The mutilated bunny corpse is still lying right there.”
• “What did the bunny ever do wrong to deserve this? Fu Li, you heartless man!”

Lu Yu ran over to chat with the cameraman for a moment. Then, she stood in place, and everyone saw a towering 2.8-meter-tall “giantess” with impossibly long legs on the screen.

Jiang Mi gasped in amazement. “Those legs are unreal!”

Lu Yu shyly explained, “The influencer scene is insanely competitive. You’ve gotta have long legs, or you’re out!”

[Comment Section]

• “LOL, Little Taro just exposed the warped standards in the influencer world!”
• “A long-legged giantess? Still super cute!”

After her introduction, Lu Yu hesitated before pointing to the aloof and ever-cool CEO, Cheng Lin. The over-the-top yet grounded CEO wasted no time flaunting his wealth.

“A 10-million-yuan red envelope. Take what you can—it’s all about luck. Just enjoy!”

[Comment Section]

• “My hubby is unstoppable—throwing money left and right!”
• “I got 500 yuan! Just for that, Cheng Lin gets my vote!”
• “I got 800! My brother got 500, my dad got 300, my mom got 1,300, my grandma got 100, and my grandpa…”

The comment section’s tone shifted as people started bragging about how much they’d snagged.

Even Jiang Mi secretly joined in on her phone. Her prize? A measly 20 cents.

Out of a 10-million-yuan pool, she got 20 cents. Was that even fair?

[Comment Section]

• “Villainous supporting actresses have terrible luck—20 cents is better than nothing!”

Jiang Mi felt slightly comforted by that comment. She turned to the main villain beside her. “How much did you get?”

“Didn’t bother,” Gu Chuan replied, uninterested in the red envelope frenzy.

“Come on, try it!” Jiang Mi looked at him with hopeful eyes.

When his gaze met her clear and luminous eyes, Gu Chuan, inexplicably compelled, tapped the button to grab a red envelope.

“How much? How much?” Jiang Mi leaned in eagerly. But the string of zeros on the screen made her feel utterly crushed.

“Mimi, how much did you get?” Lu Yu leaned over, reading off what everyone else had won.

• Lu Yu: 600 yuan.
• Chen Wanru: 300 yuan.
• Fu Li: 50,000 yuan.
• Cheng Lin: 30,000 yuan.
• Shen Mingxuan: 100,000 yuan.
• Bai Ruanruan: 100,000 yuan.

Jiang Mi forced a stiff smile. She really had extraordinary luck, huh?

Just as she was about to respond, a low, magnetic voice spoke beside her.

“She got 110,000. I got 20 cents,” Gu Chuan said, waving his soft pink phone. The screen clearly displayed a 20-cent prize, while Jiang Mi’s sleek black phone showed a string of zeros.

“She got 110,000; I got 20 cents.”

Gu Chuan waved his pale pink phone, clearly showing the 20-cent red envelope on its screen, while Jiang Mi’s sleek black phone prominently displayed a string of zeros.

Lu Yu gasped, covering her mouth in surprise. “Brother Gu, your phone case is pink?! Like, girly pink!”

[Comment Section]

• “LOL, Little Taro knows but pretends not to. Subtlety, people, subtlety!”
• “This is the love story of a lucky charm and an unlucky soul. I ship it so hard!”

Jiang Mi glanced at Gu Chuan’s sharp side profile. Her heart bubbled with a sweetness she couldn’t suppress.

Reaching out, she clasped his soft pink phone—and his warm, strong hand—with her own. She gave it a gentle shake. A faint current seemed to ripple through their entwined fingers, spreading warmth all the way to their cores.

Gu Chuan lowered his eyelids, his dark pupils deep and magnetic, as though they could pull everything into their depths.

Jiang Mi’s eyes sparkled brightly. Her voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of playfulness.
“Mm, his girly pink.”

[Comment Section]

• “Her phone case, his girly pink.”
• “Jiang Mi knows what she’s doing—who can resist this?!”
• “From my love reality show expertise: couples who lock in during episode one are guaranteed to clash later.”

Meanwhile, Bai Ruanruan, upon confirming Jiang Mi’s pathetic 20-cent grab, felt a strange sense of validation. It was as though she had always known Jiang Mi had terrible luck. Yet, inexplicably, Bai Ruanruan couldn’t feel any joy.

Gu Chuan’s gentleness should’ve belonged to her!

Jiang Mi had stolen it!

The vile woman!

Bai Ruanruan malice was utterly transparent, prompting Jiang Mi to shoot her a curious glance. Internally, she muttered to Benben, “The female lead is so naive, wearing her emotions on her face like that. I need to help her grow fast.”

[Benben]: “You can do it, Mimi!” The AI companion casually encouraged her, though it was more preoccupied with the odd fact that the villain’s luck outpaced both the male and female leads’. “This defies logic!!!”

---

After the CEO’s cash-slinging extravaganza left an unforgettable impression, it was time for the final contestant, Chen Wanru.

She sang a classic love ballad, her performance both sweet and seductive. Yet, the audience, spoiled by the prior bizarre introductions, found it too ordinary to be satisfying.

[Comment Section]

• “Wait, the introduction segment is over already? I wasn’t done watching!”
• “Taming dogs, fights, dissections, giant women, and money-throwing—was this really a dating show? Not some talent competition?!”
• “I’m dying—Jiang Mi’s antics have totally derailed the romantic vibe!”

Even the director, watching from backstage, couldn’t help but wonder: Is this really a dating show?

But as the livestream audience count surged past 100 million, completely crushing rival programs, the director couldn’t hold back a grin. Then he dropped a bombshell.

“Tonight, the contestants will have mixed accommodations. Room assignments will be determined by the winner of the introduction segment vote.”

[Comment Section]

• “Mixed accommodations? Like co-ed?!”
• “Bold move! Boy-boy, girl-girl—anything’s fair game!”
• “OMG, sharing rooms on night one? They’re going all out!”
• “Quick, check who’s currently in first place—this decides everything!”

The open rule had been disclosed to the contestants beforehand, so most of them remained calm. Bai Ruanruan, however, turned teary-eyed.

“I… I just can’t accept this,” she stammered, her eyes growing red.

Everyone looked at her in surprise. Wasn’t she already aware of the rules? Why the sudden drama?

Bai Ruanruan, looking pitiful, said, “I’m a very conservative person. I really can’t accept pre-marital intimacy.”

Jiang Mi watched her silently. In the original storyline, Bai Ruanruan had cried just like this, drawing sympathy from everyone.

The straightforward original Jiang Mi had then bluntly pointed out, “The rules were disclosed before filming. If you couldn’t accept them, you didn’t have to join.” Bai Ruanruan had countered by claiming her manager had forced her to participate, painting herself as a helpless victim oppressed by her company.

She had milked the pity act for all it was worth, earning waves of sympathy and followers both in the show and online.

But now, only Shen Mingxuan comforted her. Everyone else just watched her silently, turning the situation into a painfully awkward spectacle.

[Comment Section]

• “Something feels off. The rules were definitely explained beforehand. Why is she crying now? It’s pointless.”
• “I get she’s trying to play the pure card, but with no one backing her up, this just looks embarrassing.”
• “Softie isn’t like that! She must’ve been forced by her company!”

Bai Ruanruan grew increasingly flustered. No one sympathized with her, and she was left looking like a clown. Her pleading gaze landed on the aloof CEO, Cheng Lin.

“Mr. Cheng…” she called out timidly.

Unexpectedly roped in, Cheng Lin gave a straightforward suggestion. “How about I pay for you to stay at a hotel?”

Bai Ruanruan: “……”
Everyone else: “……” LOL!!!

Bai Ruanruan face alternated between red and white as she clenched her teeth in frustration.

Finally, the director, unable to watch the awkwardness any longer, had someone escort Bai Ruanruan out for a staged break. The livestream resumed.

---

“Now, we’ll announce the contestant with the highest votes from the introduction segment—”