Chapter 135: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (10)
The amateur dating show was called Heartthrob. It featured elite singles from various professions in the city.
And it had a unique feature: it focused on same-sex relationships.
The first season of Heartthrob, featuring only male guests, had unexpectedly become a huge hit.
So, the second season was quickly put into production, the program team incorporating feedback and making improvements.
First, the second season would feature female guests, aiming to match the popularity of the concurrent talent show, selecting contestants with both beauty and impressive careers: doctors, lawyers, financial analysts… representing various professions.
Second, because the success rate of couples from the first season was low, they decided to broaden the show’s scope beyond just matchmaking. To attract more applicants, they promoted the show as a way to find both love and unique friendships.
Additionally, they adopted a dual format: live streaming and post-production editing. Viewers could watch their favorite couples’ interactions in real-time, while the edited version, with subtitles and highlights, would attract a wider audience.
Sheng Qian sent all this information to Su Mingxiu. After confirming her interest, he started preparing her application, but he hesitated when it came to her profession. “Should we write… actress?”
Su Mingxiu: “?”
“Don’t insult me,” she said, remembering the original owner’s lack of achievements. “Write ‘commercial model’.”
She had done quite a few commercials this year.
“And for special skills, I’ll write—”
“‘Exceptionally beautiful’.”
Sheng Qian paused, typing the words into the application form, thinking that while this would be incredibly shameless for anyone else, for Su Mingxiu, it was simply stating a fact.
If it weren’t for the original owner’s arrogance and unrealistic expectations, with her natural beauty, she could have easily become a minor celebrity.
He read the completed application: “Name: Su Mingxiu; Age: 25; Profession: Commercial model; Type: 0; Special skills…”
“Wait,” Su Mingxiu interrupted, her frown deepening. “Who’s a 0?”
Sheng Qian, startled, stammered: “W-we have to be realistic! Although you’re just there for the money, what if… what if you find someone you like? This isn’t the time to be stubborn… There’s no shame in being a 0!”
“Hmm??” Su Mingxiu thought he must be feeling guilty about his salary.
She chuckled coldly, a warning in her voice that made Sheng Qian’s hair stand on end. He quickly changed it, muttering: “Could it be that Ms. Yu was the 0?”
In Su Mingxiu’s memories, the original owner had married Yu Wanru purely for money, never considering Yu Wanru’s reasons for agreeing. She had even been pleased when Yu Wanru showed no interest in intimacy, thinking she had gotten a good deal.
Only when Yu Wanru asked for a divorce did she realize… that sometimes, not being touched wasn’t a sign of respect or indifference, but rather a lack of interest.
So she had cried and made a fuss, foolishly thinking that this would keep Yu Wanru’s attention.
But Su Mingxiu wasn’t interested in explaining the details of their sham marriage. Her silence, however, gave Sheng Qian the wrong impression.
He shook his head and sighed. “Some CEOs, so powerful and assertive on the surface, are secretly 0s—today’s gossip from the rich and famous is as juicy as ever.”
After confirming the rest of the information, Sheng Qian sent the application. He quickly received a reply, the program team requesting an interview with Su Mingxiu.
The day of the interview, Su Mingxiu tended to her flowers, then drove to the director’s office. The moment she knocked, the person inside, looking up, thought the sunlight from the hallway had intensified. Only when she entered did they realize that they were on the tenth floor, there was no sunlight in the corridor.
“Congratulations, you’ve passed the interview,” the director said, not even bothering to ask her name. Her beauty alone was enough to guarantee high ratings.
A staff member confirmed her information and gave her the filming schedule: “August 20th, One Mansion, please arrive on time. Here’s your invitation.”
Having secured a well-paying job, Su Mingxiu felt relieved. She had assumed Yu Nian would be traveling during summer break, like other students, and had even considered joining her. But after that one dinner, she hadn’t seen Yu Nian again.
Su Mingxiu finished the groceries alone.
With no system nagging her about missions, no need to deceive the protagonist’s feelings, she felt relaxed, spending her days tending to her flowers, occasionally going out for afternoon tea or getting her nails done, a peaceful life she could enjoy until she was eighty.
“If I don’t call you, you won’t contact me?”
One day, after her morning exercises, she received a call from the little brat she had taken in. The girl’s voice was cold and accusatory.
“Did Yu Wanru feed you gunpowder for breakfast? Why so aggressive?” she replied, her usual cheerful tone disarming.
Yu Nian had been waiting to see if Su Mingxiu would miss her, but there had been no contact. Even Su Mingxiu’s social media posts, pictures of flowers and afternoon tea, exuded an air of peaceful contentment.
Hearing Su Mingxiu’s response, she continued, her voice slightly strained: “I haven’t contacted you since that day, aren’t you worried about me? Aren’t you afraid something might happen to me?”
Su Mingxiu, amused, opened the curtains, letting the sunlight stream in. “With Yu Wanru around, what could possibly happen to you?”
After the child was rendered speechless, she stopped teasing her. “Alright, have you had breakfast?”
“Yes,” Yu Nian replied curtly, then added, “It was terrible, nothing like yours.”
Su Mingxiu stretched and walked towards the kitchen, opening the fridge and taking out a carton of milk. “Don’t tell me you want me to deliver you breakfast.”
“Do I look like such a spoiled brat?”
“Yes… you do.”
“Uh…” Hearing the girl’s intake of breath, as if trying to calm down, Su Mingxiu chuckled. “Okay, okay, I won’t tease you anymore. What is it, little one?”
“The college entrance exam results are out today, didn’t you know?”
“Ah…”
“Heh, I knew you didn’t care about me.”
Su Mingxiu paused, pouring the milk, her voice softening slightly. Remembering that she was relying on this child for her retirement, she quickly added: “No, I was just confident that you would be the top scorer in our province. With your grades, the school and the officials must have contacted you already, there’s no need for me to check, right?”
Yu Nian, flattered by her confidence, reluctantly agreed, then casually said: “Two universities called me today, which one do you think I should choose?”
But Su Mingxiu didn’t let her brag. “Choose the one with the better program for your chosen major.”
Yu Nian touched her nose and mumbled: “If I wasn’t so busy, I would have come over for dinner tonight.”
“Little ancestor, you ordered all that food last time, and I ended up eating it all by myself. My fridge was empty for a week, some things almost went bad—don’t you dare order in advance again, or you’ll only get raw food.”
Remembering the missed celebratory dinner, Yu Nian also felt a pang of regret. But she was currently interning at Yu Wanru’s company, busy with work, no time for a proper meal.
She apologized sincerely. “I’m sorry.”
“I won’t be so busy after school starts in late August. Have you ever been to the capital? We could go together, like a vacation.”
Su Mingxiu, remembering the upcoming variety show, declined with a smile. “I might be busy then, I have something scheduled around that time, we’ll see.”
Yu Nian, disappointed, then realized that since their plans had changed, it was better to focus on the present. Holding her phone between her ear and shoulder, she sent a message to her colleagues, saying she had something important to do tonight, then quickly asked Su Mingxiu: “Then let’s meet tonight.”
Wanda Group, ninth floor headquarters.
Yu Wanru’s office wasn’t on the top floor. Having inherited the entrepreneurial spirit of the older generation, she preferred to be closer to her employees.
“Come in,” she said when her secretary knocked.
“Ms. Yu,” her chief secretary, Jin, responsible for conveying important matters, greeted her politely, then said, “Our marketing department recently invested in an amateur dating show called Heartthrob.”
“Yes,” Yu Wanru put down her pen. “What about it?”
Secretary Jin hesitated. “There’s a name on the guest list that you might be familiar with—”
“Do you need to tell me this?” Yu Wanru frowned, having expected something more important.
Slightly intimidated, Secretary Jin quickly continued: “It’s… Su Mingxiu. Considering your previous relationship, we thought it necessary to ask if you want us to have her sign a confidentiality agreement…”
Yu Wanru paused.
Her company’s business was extensive, she couldn’t possibly remember every investment project.
But she then recalled that this variety show was related to Wanda’s new high-end villa development project.
She picked up her pen, her attention returning to the document before her, marking a few errors, and replied casually: “Don’t worry about her.”
“There’s no need for extra measures, she’s smarter than you think, she won’t cause trouble for herself. The show is full of elites, if she wants to find a partner, she’ll definitely keep her past hidden.”
Secretary Jin nodded. “Okay, I’ll inform the team.”
She turned to relay this to her assistant, but not finding Yu Nian, she asked her colleagues: “Where’s Xiao Nian?”
“Oh, she said she had something important to do and requested to leave early.”
“Okay, then send this document out.”
In a Michelin three-star restaurant in the city…
Su Mingxiu walked through the traditional courtyard to the private room Yu Nian had reserved. Through the carved wooden window, she saw a beautiful peony bush in the courtyard, reminding her of the peony garden outside the Qian Yuan Palace in the previous world. The owner of this restaurant clearly had a green thumb, but these peonies couldn’t compare to the rare varieties in the little emperor’s garden.
She rested her chin on her hand and, turning her gaze, saw Yu Nian, who seemed to have snapped out of her thoughts. Compared to the little emperor, she appeared younger, without that lingering air of ruthlessness, a typical high school student.
As Yu Nian sat down, Su Mingxiu lifted the lid of the teacup before her, inhaling the jasmine fragrance. Amidst the rising steam, she asked with a smile: “What made you decide to treat me to such an expensive meal?”
“I got my internship salary. I’ve been eating your food all the time, and you’re so stingy, I figured if I eat your food two more times, you might abandon me, so I have to reciprocate.”
Seeing Su Mingxiu reach for the teacup, she added quickly: “Careful, it’s hot.”
Su Mingxiu, who had been reminiscing, now, hearing Yu Nian’s concern, thought that the protagonists in each world were truly interesting, each with their unique personality—
Like the little emperor, initially clueless about affection, her mind filled with schemes.
Too bad, by the time she finally understood, there wasn’t much time left.
“What’s with that look?”
Yu Nian saw her put down the teacup. She had been about to tell Su Mingxiu what she had ordered, but seeing Su Mingxiu’s expression, she changed her question.
Hmm.
Not entirely different, at least this sharpness, this jealousy, was still there.
Su Mingxiu smiled faintly, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly, capturing the light in the small room, like sparkling gems.
“Nothing,” she said, changing the subject. “What did you order?”
Yu Nian stared at her suspiciously.
Not finding anything unusual, she gave up on her questioning, like a little peacock eager to show off its feathers, proudly presenting her gift.
They enjoyed the meal.
The Michelin restaurant’s dishes were impeccably presented, and the selection was excellent. Many modern restaurants tried to imitate traditional flavors, but often fell short, so they went to the other extreme, creating new dishes with classic ingredients.
But not all palates appreciated such innovation.
This restaurant, however, had found a good balance between innovation and tradition, surprising and delightful, without being overly confusing. As they were leaving, Su Mingxiu even checked the restaurant’s name, intending to return and try other dishes.
Yu Nian noticed her gaze. “If you like it, I’ll bring you here again next time.”
Su Mingxiu casually tucked her hair behind her ear, her red cat’s eye manicure flashing in the night. She looked at Yu Nian and asked: “One meal and your internship salary is gone? That doesn’t seem right.”
As she spoke, she saw a blue lanyard peeking out of Yu Nian’s pocket and reached out to pull it. The pocket was on the back of Yu Nian’s pants. As Su Mingxiu’s fingers hooked the lanyard, Yu Nian instinctively slapped her hand away.
The sound was loud in the quiet alley.
Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow.
Yu Nian’s blush was hidden by the shadows. She mumbled, “Stop touching me… if you want to see it, I’ll show you.”
She took out her Wanda Group employee ID and showed it to Su Mingxiu.
Su Mingxiu glanced at it and looked away casually. “I don’t want to see it—”
She looked Yu Nian up and down, her gaze seemingly ordinary, yet, with her exceptional beauty, her dark eyes seemed to hold a hidden hook, capable of capturing one’s soul.
“I just saw the lanyard and wanted to remind you.”
Yu Nian, holding the ID card, still replaying Su Mingxiu’s alluring glance, replied, her words slightly off-topic: “I know you don’t like that place, so I didn’t tell you where I was interning.”
Otherwise, with her tendency to show off to Su Mingxiu, she would have found an excuse to bring her to her workplace.
They reached the parking lot. Su Mingxiu opened the car door. “Shall I take you back to Pearl Manor?”
“No, I’m staying at the company dormitory.”
Yu Nian got into the passenger seat and, looking up at Su Mingxiu, suddenly felt like tonight’s dinner had been a date. She smiled. “I treated you to dinner, you take me home, fair enough.”
Su Mingxiu fastened her seatbelt and replied, ruining the mood: “Even if you didn’t treat me to dinner, I would still take you home—”
“Don’t think you can wander around at night just because you’re an adult now.”
Yu Nian: “?”
The smile on her lips faded. As the Ferrari sped away, weaving through the night traffic,
She turned to look at the beautiful woman beside her, her face illuminated by the dim lights.
“Su Mingxiu, do you know what being an adult means?”
“I don’t know what being an adult means,” Su Mingxiu tapped the steering wheel, turning to meet her gaze, “but I know that no matter how old you are, I’m still your elder. Who allowed you to address me so casually?”
“Uh…” Yu Nian wondered if she had lost her mind.
How could she possibly be attracted to such a buzzkill?
Looking at Su Mingxiu’s face, she wondered if she had been living under too many rules,
And now, her delayed rebellious phase, meeting someone who offered her care and affection, she was seeking excitement.
Before she could figure it out, Su Mingxiu had stopped the car near the Wanda employee dormitory.
“Here.”
She gestured for Yu Nian to get out, seemingly having forgotten their earlier conversation.
After Yu Nian got out, she turned back, her hands on the car door, and leaned closer to look at the person inside.
“Can you… not date anyone recently?”
Su Mingxiu: “?”
She thought she had suppressed her charm, acting like an ordinary person, she didn’t understand why this child was still interested in her.
“Why?” she asked.
Yu Nian simply said: “Didn’t I say I would take care of you? You don’t have to settle for just anyone for money.”
And also…
Her earlier infatuation had subsided slightly. She wanted to think carefully about whether she should take the next step with Su Mingxiu.
“Okay,” Su Mingxiu agreed readily.
But what Su Mingxiu didn’t expect was—
The dating show she joined would appear before Yu Nian in a way neither of them could have imagined, pushing their already precarious, unconventional mother-daughter relationship to the brink.
Later, she would think, if she hadn’t joined that show… perhaps, in this world, Yu Nian would have adhered to the moral boundaries, never crossing the line.
But in the end, everything went awry.
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