The viewers in the livestream chat were growing increasingly anxious, scratching their heads in frustration.

【So, what exactly happened?】

【That hallway was empty just a moment ago!】

【To the person above, this hot spring resort has interconnected hallways. People can come here from other directions too.】

【Waaaah, seeing Xiao Yu’s curious expression, I made the same sound of wanting gossip! （Super loud）】

Sure enough, Ning Xiaoyu had decisively chosen option a just as the countdown was about to end.

Option c wasn’t bad either, but unfortunately, she was holding a sticky piece of cantaloupe, which made it inconvenient to handle her phone.

As for option b, she had experienced green tea behaviors before and knew what ‘pretentious innocence’ looked like, but why should she pick this option just to make things difficult for the socialite? There was no need for mutual harm. It was such a hassle.

After glancing at the socialite, Ning Xiaoyu then looked at Lu Jingdu questioningly （gossiply）.

No wonder people always said that the essence of humanity was gossip.

Even Ning Xiaoyu was no exception.

However, she kept her curiosity in check, maintaining a level that wouldn’t make others uncomfortable.

The socialite, being someone accustomed to life’s ups and downs, wasn’t fazed by Ning Xiaoyu witnessing her confession. There was no embarrassment or panic on her face. After all, the only person who could stir her emotions was Lu Jingdu.

But Lu Jingdu remained even calmer than her, his expression unchanged and devoid of any reaction.

If Ning Xiaoyu hadn’t unexpectedly appeared, this confession would probably have ended uneventfully.

Time seemed to freeze for a moment, and no one spoke.

Then, Ning Xiaoyu took another bite of her cantaloupe. Once she confirmed that the love mission was complete, she walked away contentedly without looking back.

The love system which had been eagerly waiting for a sweet development: “……”

The imagined scene of asserting dominance didn’t happen. The anticipated moment of driving away a rival and a CP sharing sweetness didn’t occur either.

Clearly, the host had followed the system’s choices, so why didn’t the results align with its expectations?

The love system couldn’t help but fall into its daily self-doubt. Its small memory bank nearly froze from frustration.

At this point, it would rather the host give up on making choices altogether and accept the punishment directly.

Every script had been certified by interstellar netizens, each one guaranteed to deliver maximum sweetness, satisfying its yearning for romance.

Unfortunately, the host refused to follow the usual tropes. Ever since she had endured one punishment, she had never accepted another.

────ρя

This translation is by Pocketrobbin at S h a n g h a i f a n t a s y . c o m

After finishing the piece of cantaloupe, Ning Xiaoyu was looking around for a trash bin when a familiar deep voice came from behind her, “Here.”

A slender, well-defined hand pressed a spot on the wall, and moments later, a cleaning robot emerged from around the corner.

The robot opened its rounded compartment, signaling Ning Xiaoyu to dispose of her trash inside.

Ning Xiaoyu: “……”

It seemed she had been living under a rock.

After tossing the trash, the two of them walked toward the hot spring pool in silence.

Ning Xiaoyu didn’t ask where the socialite had gone or what the outcome of the confession was. After all, even gossiping had its limits.

And it wasn’t like she had intentionally sought out gossip in the first place.

Just as they approached the hot spring pool, Lu Jingdu spoke again, “I don’t go back on my words.”

He seemed to be telling her not to mind what had just happened.

After all, others didn’t seem to approve of his actions, fearing he would be taken advantage of by her.

Ning Xiaoyu nodded. “Understood.” Then she added, “Actually, you’ve already granted me a favor before. Let’s put this matter to rest.”

To Ning Xiaoyu, whether or not she had Lu Jingdu’s promise didn’t matter. For now, the best way to describe him was ‘trouble’, and his promise equaled ‘double trouble’.

She might already be a thorn in others’ sides just because of him.

Besides, by completing missions with him, she had already earned a good amount of real-world currency from the love system.

Saving him had been her choice, and she didn’t believe it required repayment.

Without waiting for Lu Jingdu to respond, Ning Xiaoyu strode forward.

────ρя


The production team had reserved two hot spring pools— one for male celebrities and one for female celebrities.

The two pools were close enough to see each other.

When Ning Xiaoyu arrived, there were already three people in the women’s pool, one of whom was Ning Yuwei.

Although Ning Yuwei disliked Ning Xiaoyu, she wouldn’t openly show it in front of the livestream audience, lest she give them ammunition against her.

Where there were female celebrities, there was always an undercurrent of silent rivalry. The same was true for male celebrities. After all, resources were limited. Without effort, how could one gain audience favor? Without effort, how could one attract the attention of brands?

Therefore, celebrities always prioritize their appearances, striving to present themselves in their most perfect state to the audience.

In the pool, Ning Yuwei wore a new blue-and-white one-piece swimsuit from a luxury brand. It was neither overly revealing nor excessively conservative, perfectly showcasing her fair skin and good figure.

Mu Jiajia, trying to avoid clashing with Ning Yuwei, chose a simpler style. But even simplicity meant a high-end brand, never a generic one.

Lastly, there was Xi Rui, the oldest female guest in the group. She opted for a resort-style swim dress with wide sleeves in shades of pink, blue, and white. The outfit, a three-piece set, included a sexy tie-front bikini beneath, though she kept the outer layer on.

As soon as Ning Xiaoyu entered, the three women in the pool immediately focused their gazes on her.

In the entertainment industry, newcomers and veterans rotated frequently, and Ning Xiaoyu, in a short time, had already gained a substantial following.

At first, they hadn’t paid much attention to her, but now they were all watching her movements to some extent.

Amid the scrutiny, Ning Xiaoyu removed her white bathrobe.

The swimsuit she wore underneath was finally revealed.

It was black.

Short-sleeved.

A sporty swimwear.

It was clearly different from the typical style of other female celebrities.

Finally, Xi Rui was the first to react, “Xiaoyu…… whose swimwear are you wearing?”

Ning Xiaoyu replied casually, “It’s from Xida.”

Xida? What brand was that? They had never heard of it before.

Eventually, the mystery was solved by the resourceful fans in the livestream chat.

【Hahaha, I know! I wear that brand too. Cheap, comfortable, and great value.】

【This is the first time I’ve seen such a down-to-earth celebrity. Instant fan!】

【Wearing the same brand as me? Does this make me a celebrity too?】

【Xida should pay for this advertisement! Dog head.jpg】

Although Ning Xiaoyu was wearing what the other celebrities considered a no-name brand, her stunning figure still stood out, even in such simple swimwear.

The black color of her swimsuit accentuated her fair skin, making it seem even paler than Ning Yuwei’s.

It was only then that the audience realized something. Despite being an unknown actress who usually appeared lazy, standing only when absolutely necessary and exuding a lack of ambition, Ning Xiaoyu had the potential to be a true star.

Her figure and skin tone alone were already enviable— anyone could see that.

Even her facial features, upon closer inspection, were just as good as anyone else’s.

The only drawback was her terrible hairstyle, which severely undermined her overall look.

【Let’s crowdfund a stylist to fix Xiao Yu’s hair.】

【Honestly, even a 30 RMB street barber could probably do better than whoever styled her hair.】

Ning Xiaoyu didn’t have a stylist. She always went to random, inexpensive salons on the street for haircuts.

────ρя


Not long after, all twelve guests had gathered at the hot spring.

However, not everyone was interested in soaking in the water.

Only seven guests entered the pool, while the other five stayed nearby, sipping tea and eating fruit. Naturally, this included Lu Jingdu, who had a slight obsession with cleanliness.

After a while, the director announced the day’s social interaction task.

“Since today marks the fourth day of filming, I believe most of you have formed initial impressions of each other. Now is the time to deepen those impressions. While the atmosphere is just right, guests may showcase their talents, giving everyone— including the audience— a more comprehensive understanding of you.”

For some guests, even if they weren’t on the show to make friends, it was still an excellent opportunity to attract fans, so they eagerly took the stage.

The first to step forward was Ling Zige, who was naturally lively and wouldn’t miss such an occasion.

He performed a short magic trick.

With his nimble fingers, a set of cards seemed to vanish and reappear in his hands, before finally transforming into a paper rose.

Amid the playful laughter and cheers of the guests, Ling Zige smiled and presented the red paper rose to Ning Yuwei.

With the rose now in Ning Yuwei’s hands, she naturally became the center of attention.

She smiled sweetly, tilting her head gracefully while still in the hot spring. She reached out to accept the rose. “Thank you, Brother Ling.”

Ling Zige gave her a gentlemanly bow. “As long as you like it.”

With the rose delivered, Ning Yuwei was next to perform.

Since she had been adopted into the Shen family at a young age, she had studied hard to keep up with Lu Jingdu, learning various skills.

Her specialty was a dance routine that required exceptional flexibility.

Ning Yuwei rose from the hot spring, ignoring the water droplets trailing down her body, and casually donned a robe.

Soon, she stood barefoot at the edge of the pool and began her performance.

She moved like a swan, her graceful actions full of elegance and beauty. Even though she wore only a plain white robe, she looked as though she were on a grand stage in a lace-adorned princess gown.

Her dance, though brief— lasting no more than a few dozen seconds— showcased her every advantage, from her elegant neck to her refined movements.

When she finally stopped spinning, she found herself facing Ning Xiaoyu, who was still soaking in the hot spring.

Ning Yuwei smiled lightly. “What a coincidence. I happened to end up facing Teacher Ning. Why don’t you perform next?”

As soon as Ning Yuwei finished speaking, Ning Xiaoyu’s ears were filled with the voice of the love system.

〖Ning Yuwei is trying to overshadow you and steal your spotlight in front of the movie king. At a time like this, we can’t let her win! You need to dampen her spirits and make the movie king realize that you are the most unique one here! You can:

A. Perform the same dance as Ning Yuwei. With a direct comparison, she’ll pale in comparison to you!

B. Show off a one-of-a-kind skill. Being unique is the ultimate weapon!

C. Forget magic and dance. Pull the movie king into a comedy routine. Go against the grain and steal the show!

Go for it, Girl! Be the brightest star in the room!〗

Ning Xiaoyu: “……”

So this is how highly you think of me, Love System. Thank you for your confidence.