Category: After I Abandoned the Protagonist [Quick Transmigration]

Chapter 140: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (15)

Yu Nian couldn’t explain how she felt, pushing Su Mingxiu onto the other bed. She hadn’t anticipated this…

The imagined romantic, dominant scenarios hadn’t materialized. Remembering her confident choice of the blue name tag, she buried her face in the quilt, feeling suffocated:

I’m like a noob with delusions of grandeur.

A bottom pretending to be a top.

She punched the bed, hearing a faint chuckle. She pulled back the quilt and looked towards Su Mingxiu.

She couldn’t see anything in the darkness, but it was quiet, as if the laughter had been a figment of her imagination.

She listened, thinking Su Mingxiu was asleep, her breathing returning to normal. Just as she was about to sleep—

She smelled it.

The cooling scent of the medicine, mixed with a… subtle sweetness.

After a moment, she realized it was the scent from the part of the bed she had been lying on. Her face flushed, and she wanted to burn the sheets, destroying the evidence of her embarrassment.

Dawn broke, another sunny day.

It was the weekend, and the contestants had the day off.

After washing up, Su Mingxiu stripped both beds and had the cleaning staff take the sheets away. As she was putting on new sheets, urged by the program staff, she turned on the live stream.

[Waking up to the beauty’s morning routine, blessed.]
[Su Mingxiu is changing the sheets… both beds, what did they do last night?]
[Shocking! The “Persuade Her to Leave” CP did this in the middle of the night…]
[I’m putting a donation box in the comments, I’m going to be rich.]

Since Yu Nian was still washing up, Su Mingxiu was alone on camera, the live stream chat exploding with speculations.

From guessing who was the top, to imagining their positions.

Thankfully, they couldn’t see the comments.

Yu Nian, coming out of the bathroom, remembered that she was supposed to wear makeup on the show. She had even used Su Mingxiu’s makeup remover last night, she hadn’t brought any of her own cosmetics.

Seeing the fresh sheets, she blushed, then quickly turned away, tugging at Su Mingxiu’s skirt.

Su Mingxiu was wearing a gold-flecked dress with flowing sleeves and a ruffled hem, elegant and stylish.

“Can I borrow your makeup?”

Su Mingxiu, having just finished making the bed, straightened up and agreed without looking at her.

But Yu Nian didn’t leave, adding: “And can you… help me?”

Su Mingxiu: “?”

Yu Nian blinked.

Compared to Su Mingxiu’s mature and alluring dress, Yu Nian’s denim skirt was youthful and refreshing, making her look even younger.

She looked at Su Mingxiu and said softly: “I don’t know how to apply makeup…”

Soon…

She was sitting before the vanity table.

The live stream viewers were stunned.

[I told you, Su-jie likes the helpless type… Showing weakness is the key to capturing her attention, that’s why she was always taking care of Xu Wenbai.]
[I’m learning so much! I’m going to find out where Su Meiren lives and “accidentally” bump into her on her way to work.]
[Shaking Yu Nian’s shoulders… you’re a blue tag! Act like a top!]
[Never seen a green tea top before?]

Yu Nian felt Su Mingxiu’s fingertips on her face, the touch so gentle, like a baby bird being cared for.

Her eyelashes fluttered, and she opened one eye, seeing Su Mingxiu’s gaze focused on her.

She instinctively raised her hand, her index finger lightly touching the small mole near Su Mingxiu’s eye.

“Hmm?”

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, silently asking what she was doing.

Yu Nian quickly withdrew her finger and looked away, making an excuse. “I… just wanted to see if this mole is real.”

—

[How dare this child speak to our beautiful sister like that!]

Su Mingxiu chuckled, her thoughts hidden.

She had initially wanted to play a prank on Yu Nian’s makeup, but Tang Jiansue knocked, asking about breakfast. Learning that the others were almost ready, Su Mingxiu quickly finished Yu Nian’s makeup.

As she was putting away her makeup, Tracy, who hadn’t returned last night, entered, wearing a stylish pair of earrings that complemented her unique hairstyle.

“I heard there’s a new contestant… are you doing her makeup?” She walked over, seeing what they were doing, and rolled up her sleeves. “Need any help?”

Yu Nian instinctively grabbed Su Mingxiu’s sleeve.

She knew that Tracy was a professional stylist, but… she wasn’t that interested in looking beautiful, she preferred spending time with Su Mingxiu.

Even if Su Mingxiu drew a turtle on her face, she would still be happy.

[Lol, Yu Nian’s wary look is so obvious.]
[This is the biggest insult to Tracy’s professional skills.]
[If I didn’t know Tracy was a stylist, judging from Yu Nian’s expression, I would have thought she was trying to poison her.]

Perhaps hurt by Yu Nian’s gaze, Tracy put down her sleeves and said she was just here to tell them that breakfast was ready, then left.

Yu Nian, seeing her leave, explained to Su Mingxiu: “I’m not very familiar with her yet, I didn’t mean to be rude, I hope she didn’t misunderstand.”

Su Mingxiu felt that this child, after her embarrassing experience last night, seemed to have been reborn, her words now laced with a subtle green tea fragrance.

[See? This is the charm of a green tea top.]
[SuYu shares skyrocketing…]

After breakfast, the program team took them to a craft workshop, their first group activity, to make a handmade gift for another contestant.

The workshop offered various crafts: metalworking, pottery, cake decorating… After a brief introduction and a showcase of past creations, most of the contestants had an idea of what they wanted to do.

Tracy headed towards the cake decorating area. Xu Wenbai and Rong Hua, almost simultaneously, walked towards the metalworking section, then, seeing each other, laughed and went together.

[Aww, the two bottoms are so cute!]
[Two bottoms meet, one must become a top. You two are now the Metalworking (Top) CP!]
[What the hell is a Metalworking CP?]

Shao Chen, adjusting her glasses, was about to ask Su Mingxiu what she wanted to do, when she saw Yu Nian standing beside her.

And Tang Jiansue, taking out the painting they had worked on together, invited Su Mingxiu to the pottery studio.

Yu Nian stared at Su Mingxiu, thinking about how to get her attention. But Tang Jiansue glanced at her,

As if anticipating what kind of illness she would feign this time.

Yu Nian: “…”

She felt anxious and annoyed.

With the cameras rolling, and Dr. Tang’s invitation perfectly reasonable, Su Mingxiu glanced at the camera, sighed discreetly, and left with Tang Jiansue.

Leaving Yu Nian and Shao Chen behind.

Shao Chen, for the first time, felt that her extravagant gift might have been a mistake. Looking at Yu Nian, her possessiveness towards Su Mingxiu clear, she smiled faintly and asked: “Little sister, where are you going?”

Having lost Su Mingxiu, it didn’t matter where she went. Yu Nian countered with a question, and Shao Chen, looking at the metalworking section, indicated her choice.

Yu Nian chose the flower arrangement studio.

[Every time I think Su Meiren has made her choice, she proves me wrong.]
[Yu Nian looks like a lost puppy.]
[Is the person above writing a dangerous master/pet fic?]

Inside the flower arrangement studio…

The instructor, with her blonde hair and blue eyes, seemed to embody the versatility of floral art. Besides the large flower basket overflowing with spring blossoms, the artistic bonsai, the bouquet, and the flowers in a vase… she even had flower crowns and garlands.

She was like a forest sprite, her body adorned with flowers.

Her presentation was effective, the students captivated. After a brief explanation of the different techniques, they chose their projects.

Due to the limited spots and the instructor’s busy schedule, there were only four students in the class, Yu Nian being the fourth.

The instructor approached her, asking what kind of arrangement she wanted to learn.

Yu Nian stared at the garland around the instructor’s neck, pink and orange flowers woven into green vines, a beautiful contrast against her white dress.

“Interested in this?”

Although Yu Nian hadn’t spoken, the instructor sensed her interest.

After a moment of thought, Yu Nian said softly: “The colors are too light, the person I want to give this to is… very mature and alluring, these colors aren’t suitable.”

The instructor understood and led her to the selection of flowers.

Yu Nian hesitated, then stopped before a vase of deep purple ranunculus.

If lisianthus represented youthful innocence, then ranunculus was like deep purple lipstick, a sensual dancer under the nightclub lights. She paused, then chuckled.

“Just this alone,” she said, “she would hit me.”

Then, a sudden inspiration. She chose a few roses and, following the instructor’s guidance, started weaving them. Then, not quite satisfied, she asked for paper and pen and started sketching a floral necklace.

When she showed her design, the viewers were amazed.

[So beautiful!]
[I thought flower necklaces were tacky, but this… I would marry Yu Nian right now, it’s so beautiful!]
[Will Yu Nian even agree to marry you? Just for saying that, she’ll make me apologize all night.]
[Yu Nian is my wife, fight me.]

Meanwhile, in the pottery studio…

Su Mingxiu, having finished shaping the vase, handed the painting to Tang Jiansue, then sighed and picked up a brush, about to paint the design. “Are silk tree flowers… too cliche?”

Tang Jiansue knew that, based on her artistic upbringing, this design… was tacky, even by Emperor Qianlong’s standards.

It was a design that could only exist on paper.

The finished vase was a classic blue and white. Tang Jiansue watched as Su Mingxiu washed her hands, a strained smile on her lips, feeling…

…that she had reached her limit.

They finished at different times.

Su Mingxiu, who had chosen pottery, should have been the last to finish. But since the firing process was relatively straightforward, she left first, while Tang Jiansue stayed behind.

Leaving the pottery studio, Su Mingxiu saw Yu Nian waiting outside.

The girl, holding an unmarked box, raised an eyebrow at her. “Want to see?”

Su Mingxiu looked at her for a moment, then opened the box. Inside, a beautiful flower necklace, centered around deep purple ranunculus, accented with unopened golden champagne roses, green moss, and tiny black seeds that deepened the ranunculus’ color.

The necklace was as exquisite as any high-end jewelry.

She looked at it for a while. “You made this?”

“Yes,” Yu Nian, afraid that Su Mingxiu wouldn’t like it, didn’t boast like she usually did when giving gifts. Instead, she watched Su Mingxiu’s expression anxiously. “Don’t you like flowers?”

Su Mingxiu was certain she hadn’t mentioned this on camera.

So she asked: “When did I say I liked flowers?”

Yu Nian thought back to Su Mingxiu’s response at the school gate, listing various types of flowers.

Perhaps…

…ranunculus wasn’t among them.

She was about to take the box back when Su Mingxiu picked up the necklace, held it against her chest, then, even though it didn’t match her dress today, smiled faintly and put it back in the box.

“Let’s go.”

“You don’t like it?” Yu Nian asked, even more anxious.

Su Mingxiu looked at her for a long time, then said slowly: “Let’s go buy a dress that matches it.”

[A glimmer of hope!]
[Just now she said silk tree flowers were cliche, now she’s smiling at ranunculus, a woman’s heart is unpredictable.]
[Tang Jiansue, eliminated!]
[Wuwuwu, Yu Nian is still her favorite.]

At the mall…

Before they even reached the women’s clothing section on the third floor, Su Mingxiu stopped at a luxury watch store on the first floor, remembering that she had received a gift from Shao Chen.

She led Yu Nian towards the display cases.

Yu Nian, surprised that the miser was actually willing to spend money, asked incredulously: “Are you… buying this for me?”

“No.”

“Oh…” Yu Nian’s face immediately fell.

She stood quietly beside Su Mingxiu, watching her chat with the sales assistant, then suddenly pointed at a watch.

“This one is nice.”

Su Mingxiu looked over, her eyes drawn to the deep emerald green color, then she raised an eyebrow at Yu Nian. “I haven’t told you who it’s for.”

Yu Nian, based on Su Mingxiu’s choice, said with a deadpan expression: “Young, female.”

Usually… a rival.

Su Mingxiu: “…”

She looked at the watch again. “What do you like about it?”

Yu Nian, with a serious expression, said: “Don’t you think this green is… striking? Even a Rolex Submariner can’t compare. I’ve never seen such a beautiful green, from the dial to the strap.”

Such a vibrant green.

Chapter 141: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (16)

Yu Nian slowly got out of bed and fumbled for the medicine in the darkness, the rustling of plastic bags echoing in the room.

Returning to Su Mingxiu’s bed, she saw Su Mingxiu reach for the light switch and quickly stopped her. “Don’t turn on the light!”

She had already been embarrassed enough in the bathroom, even with her shirt on. Now, with Su Mingxiu applying medicine… if the light was on, wouldn’t Su Mingxiu see everything?

Su Mingxiu didn’t tell her that her night vision was excellent.

A spray would have been more convenient, but the little one had insisted on Su Mingxiu applying it.

So be it.

Su Mingxiu opened the bag and took out the medicine, the cold glass bottle brushing against Yu Nian’s cheek. “Lift your shirt.”

Yu Nian, realizing the implication even in the darkness, blushed, embarrassed by the thought of Su Mingxiu’s touch, especially the command… to expose her back.

She buried her face in the quilt, lifting her shirt slightly. “Don’t look.”

“I can’t apply it if I don’t look,” Su Mingxiu placed the bottle beside Yu Nian’s face. “Or you can do it yourself.”

Yu Nian hesitated, then grabbed the bottle, opened it, and was about to pour it haphazardly onto her back when Su Mingxiu caught her wrist. “Go to your own bed, you’ll stain my sheets.”

Strangely, hearing this, Yu Nian felt a thrill, like a small animal marking its territory. She resisted. “No.”

She said, “I want to do it on your bed.”

Su Mingxiu, amused by her defiance, took the medicine and poured it onto Yu Nian’s back. The coldness made Yu Nian flinch, as if ice had been pressed against her skin.

She tensed, then relaxed. Then, she felt a warm hand on her back, and… a sudden, burning sensation.

“Wait—”

A gasp escaped her lips, then she quickly suppressed it, remembering the other contestants, clenching the blanket tightly.

It hurts… so much.

Su Mingxiu was clearly taking revenge.

If Yu Nian had been unsure before whether Su Mingxiu was still angry, she knew now.

Very angry.

She instinctively tried to pull away, but Su Mingxiu’s hand on her lower back, although not forceful, held her captive.

Yu Nian bit down on the blanket, her face flushed, her voice muffled. “Gently… be gentle…”

A crisp sound, like a slap, and Yu Nian realized that Su Mingxiu had just hit her again, adding insult to injury.

“You want me to rub it, but also be gentle, so demanding?”

As if reminding her that she had asked for this.

Yu Nian wanted to curl up in pain, her body covered in sweat, feeling like she had never been so hurt in her life, as if Su Mingxiu was trying to kill her. Tears welled up in her eyes. After a long moment, she finally managed to push Su Mingxiu’s hand away. “Stop… I’m… okay…”

Her voice was choked with sobs.

Su Mingxiu, seeing the red, swollen skin, as if finally satisfied, stopped, handing the medicine back to Yu Nian. “It’s absorbed now, just add a bit more.”

Actually, she hadn’t used much force, but the medicine, combined with her massage, had increased blood flow, intensifying the sensation.

Yu Nian didn’t want any more medicine. She poured it haphazardly onto her back, wanting to get up and dress quickly, to escape this torment.

But—

The liquid, like water, flowed down her back, following the contours of her body.

Yu Nian jumped up, a muffled cry escaping her lips.

Su Mingxiu, who had been wiping her hands with a wet wipe, looked up in surprise. “What’s wrong?”

Yu Nian’s profile was within her line of sight, and she clearly saw a tear roll down Yu Nian’s cheek, hidden by her hair.

The girl, as if having reached her limit, started crying, her sobs muffled by the blanket.

Su Mingxiu: “?”

She had thought Yu Nian’s reaction was delayed.

But seeing the slight trembling of Yu Nian’s slender body, like a delicate flower in the wind, Su Mingxiu hadn’t expected the medicine to have such a strong after-effect. She turned Yu Nian around and asked, concerned: “Does it hurt that much?”

“Wuwuwu…” Yu Nian, rarely crying so uncontrollably, couldn’t stop.

She hugged Su Mingxiu, burying her face in her chest, her body shaking with sobs. “It… it went… inside…”

Su Mingxiu froze, then, understanding, she couldn’t help but chuckle.

The next moment…

Yu Nian, sensing her amusement, bit down on her shoulder, hard, then released her, her voice thick with tears. “What should I do?”

Would it be infected? Would she have to go to the hospital?

Going to the hospital because she had accidentally… gotten medicine where it shouldn’t be, how embarrassing!

The thought made her want to cry even more.

Thankfully, Su Mingxiu’s reply reassured her: “It’s fine, just wipe it off—oh, it’s probably absorbed already, it’s okay, just wait for it to subside.”

“It’s not on your body, of course you’re fine!”

Yu Nian felt like she was cursed in this show. At home, she was angered by the live stream and the comments, and now, on her first day, she had been spanked by Su Mingxiu, the pain still lingering, and now this…

Su Mingxiu looked down at her, ignoring the bite mark on her shoulder. Seeing that it was getting late, she said, her voice slightly impatient:

“Are you done? Go to sleep.”

Yu Nian hugged her tighter, biting Su Mingxiu’s neck. “You’re so heartless,” she mumbled.

Then, releasing her, she added: “It’s burning, it hurts so much, it’ll never get better.”

Su Mingxiu, after a moment of thought, finally understood what Yu Nian meant, her smile unchanging. She pushed Yu Nian’s head away. “Try biting me again.”

Yu Nian wanted to,

But remembering Su Mingxiu’s ruthlessness, she was afraid of dying.

She moved her chin and gently bit Su Mingxiu’s finger, not using any force, like a kitten playing with its mother, her teeth barely grazing Su Mingxiu’s skin.

Testing the boundaries.

Su Mingxiu thought this child, so quickly forgetting the pain, needed another lesson. But she controlled herself, her voice cold and warning. “Let go.”

“Mm-mm…” Yu Nian mumbled in refusal.

Perhaps because the medicine was truly uncomfortable, she shifted slightly, seeking relief, but the spot she had been sitting on was warm from her body heat, and the new spot was cold.

She shivered.

After a while, she shifted again, then released Su Mingxiu’s finger, sitting up straight, no longer leaning against her, as if suddenly becoming obedient.

Su Mingxiu was about to ask what she was doing when Yu Nian asked softly: “Hmm… how about we switch beds?”

“Hmm?” Just as she was about to ask why, remembering Yu Nian’s earlier movements, she suddenly understood.

Su Mingxiu burst out laughing, about to drag Yu Nian to the bathroom to clean up, when Yu Nian covered her mouth, her voice a desperate whisper. “Don’t say it!”

“I didn’t mean to… I-I’ll wash the sheets tomorrow.”

Her entire body was trembling with embarrassment, wishing Su Mingxiu would forget this incident.

She had joined this show, chosen the blue name tag, to divert Su Mingxiu’s attention from the other contestants, to fulfill Su Mingxiu’s desires…

But everything had gone wrong. Not only had she failed to impress Su Mingxiu, but she had also become the biggest embarrassment on the show.

Su Mingxiu, a mixture of emotions in her eyes, gently removed Yu Nian’s hand from her mouth.

She suddenly remembered how Yu Nian had called her “Little Mom” in front of the cameras.

The new grudge had been settled, but the old debt remained.

After a while…

Sensing that the medicine’s effects were wearing off, Su Mingxiu leaned closer to Yu Nian’s ear, her voice low and teasing. “Is this how you show filial piety to your Little Mom?”

Yu Nian, who had almost calmed down, hearing the words “Little Mom,” trembled again, her body stiffening.

She could feel… the mess she had made was even worse now.

It seemed…

…she had stained the bed even more.

Chapter 140: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (15)

Heartthrob‘s live stream, with its high-quality guests and the drama surrounding Su Mingxiu’s breathtaking beauty, was attracting a growing audience, trending for two consecutive days even before the first episode aired.

Meanwhile, in a newly created group chat named “Rich Kids’ Club”…

Violent: Holy shit! Did you guys see the show Yu Nian’s stepmom is on? Come quick! Major gossip! It’s so fucking dramatic! [/link]

Never Buy a Bag Until I’m 90 lbs: !! Is she crazy?

I, Shangguan Nanbei: I left and rejoined this chat three times, what is this? Isn’t this a girls’ chat? Am I no longer considered a man in your eyes?
I, Shangguan Nanbei: Damn, Yu Nian is also on the show? Did I miss something? She hates her stepmom, why would she join?

Static Beauty: …

Violent: As expected, the best gossip comes from the rich, and the best rich gossip comes from the Yu family! Is this the power of bloodlines? Stepmom and daughter on the same dating show, this is… too exciting! @Static Beauty, Dai Yan, what do you think?

Static Beauty: Speechless.

I, Shangguan Nanbei: I want to post this on Douban, I just checked the show’s group, people are saying Su Mingxiu is a gold digger dumped by a rich woman, but they haven’t mentioned Yu Wanru… my gossip senses are tingling.

Static Beauty: @I, Shangguan Nanbei, Keep it to yourself, do you want to die? @Violent, kick him out.

Never Buy a Bag Until I’m 90 lbs: I remember Niannian has a close friend, the one you drove home, Ayan? She goes to the same school, she must know what’s going on between Niannian and her stepmom. Do you have her number? Should we add her to the group for some insider gossip? [/rubbing hands]

Dai Yan muted the group chat, pretending not to see the messages asking her to add Dong Lin. After a moment of thought, she texted Yu Nian: “What’s going on?”

In the live stream…

Rong Hua and Xu Wenbai returned to the villa, the aroma of hot pot greeting them. “Smells so good!” Rong Hua exclaimed.

Xu Wenbai handed her a pair of slippers. Rong Hua, pulling her towards the dining room, saw Shao Chen setting the table and Dr. Tang busy in the kitchen. “Eh? Aren’t they back yet?”

Tang Jiansue, taking off her apron, smiled. “There’s a new contestant, Mingxiu is showing her to her room.”

“A new contestant?”

Rong Hua leaned closer to the simmering hot pot, inhaling the aroma. Coming from a region known for its spicy food, she glanced at the double-sided hot pot, one side with tomato broth, and said with slight disappointment: “This spicy broth isn’t even that spicy, and they’re adding a mild broth too?”

Xu Wenbai, however, was curious about the new contestant.

Noticing her gaze, Tang Jiansue walked over, untying her apron. “A young lady who’s starting university in the capital this year, I think she’s just turned eighteen.”

As she spoke, she fumbled with the knot at her back, tied like a surgical knot out of habit. Shao Chen, finally looking away from the hallway, glanced at her. Just as Rong Hua was about to help, Shao Chen offered: “I’ll get it.”

[If Su Meiren doesn’t come out soon, the fish in her pond will pair up.]
[I have a question, Yu Nian taking a shower, what does that have to do with Su Mingxiu? Shouldn’t Su Mingxiu be outside? Why haven’t they turned on the camera in the room?]
[Is that much time even enough for them?]

As the live stream chat’s innuendos escalated, Shao Chen untied Tang Jiansue’s apron and walked towards the hallway. “I’ll go get them for dinner.”

[Shao Chen: If I don’t go now, will they have a baby by the time I get there?]

But after just two steps, she saw Su Mingxiu and the new contestant emerge, the latter’s hair still damp, now wearing a long, ink-colored dress.

Rong Hua waved them over. “Come, come, the pot’s boiling, we’re just waiting to add the meat—hello, little sister.”

Yu Nian nodded, greeting her and Xu Wenbai. But as she reached the dining table, seeing the white wooden benches, her throat tightened slightly.

She had been defiant in the room, refusing to apologize, thinking Su Mingxiu would continue punishing her.

But Su Mingxiu had simply stopped, put the tube away, and left the bathroom.

As if…

…she couldn’t be bothered anymore.

“Why aren’t you sitting? Don’t be shy,” Rong Hua asked, seeing Yu Nian hesitate behind Su Mingxiu’s chair.

Even Shao Chen glanced at her, then looked down again, wanting to tell Su Mingxiu about the handmade meatballs she had brought.

Feeling everyone’s gaze, Yu Nian sat down quickly, trying not to show her discomfort.

But as she settled onto the bench—

She wanted to jump up immediately.

She now truly understood the meaning of “like sitting on pins and needles.” Su Mingxiu’s punishment had been… thorough.

Every inch of her skin in contact with the hard wooden bench was throbbing.

Sweat beaded on her forehead. Just as she was about to stand up, Su Mingxiu’s hand landed on her shoulder, gently pressing her back down.

“Shao Chen said these beef balls are good, want to try some?”

She turned and saw Su Mingxiu’s gentle smile.

She seemed to have forgotten what had happened in the bathroom, welcoming Yu Nian warmly, her hand on Yu Nian’s shoulder a seemingly natural gesture, allowing Yu Nian to admire the elegant curve of her arm.

If it weren’t for the pressure on her shoulder, preventing her from standing up, Yu Nian would have believed that Su Mingxiu was simply recommending the food.

—What “not bothered,” she’s clearly holding a grudge.

The hot shower had already been unbearable, even after turning down the temperature, her skin still burning. Now, sitting on this hard bench, tears welled up again.

And Su Mingxiu, the culprit, seemed oblivious, even offering her food, asking if she liked it.

[Shao Chen’s face is as dark as the bottom of the pot.]
[This is the first time Su Meiren has been so attentive to someone, what happened in that room?]
[Shao Chen: Are you being polite?]

Because of Su Mingxiu’s excessive attention towards the newcomer, the other contestants also expressed their friendliness, forcing Yu Nian, her appetite gone from the pain, to eat through her tears.

After dinner, Yu Nian felt like she was half-paralyzed.

She didn’t want to stand up, her muscles aching. She even volunteered to wipe the table, but her awkward movements made Xu Wenbai, who was washing the dishes, ask: “Are you okay?”

In the living room, Tang Jiansue was asking Su Mingxiu if she was free to continue their earlier conversation, and Shao Chen, not giving up, invited her to her room to read together.

Yu Nian, gritting her teeth, suddenly said loudly: “Oh, it’s nothing, I just fell in the shower earlier, and it really hurts, I can’t stand up.”

Xu Wenbai was startled. “Should we take you to the hospital?”

Tang Jiansue, hearing about a patient, turned around and walked over. “What happened? Let me take a look.”

Yu Nian: “…”

Miscalculation, forgot there was a doctor.

Shao Chen also glanced over, but her attention was still on Su Mingxiu.

Unfortunately, Su Mingxiu didn’t seem interested in responding to her. She walked towards the dining table, a smile on her lips, as if enjoying the drama. “Dr. Tang is an excellent surgeon, don’t worry.”

“Hmm?” Yu Nian tried not to glare at her, wondering if Su Mingxiu was so angry that she wanted them both to be eliminated from the show.

She stood up abruptly, trying to prove her sudden recovery. Dr. Tang, seeing her movements, frowned, her usual smile gone. “Don’t be reckless, that’s dangerous. If you’ve injured your bones, sudden movements can worsen the injury—”

[Haha, Yu Nian doesn’t want to go to the hospital, relatable.]
[Every time I enter a hospital, I feel like I’ve recovered.]
[Damn, I love Dr. Tang’s serious expression even more! So caring!]

As she spoke, Tang Jiansue’s hand was already on Yu Nian’s spine, gently pressing down. Yu Nian, mortified, her face flushed, didn’t even dare to look at Su Mingxiu.

She felt like her life was over.

I want to live on another planet.

“No fractures,” Dr. Tang said, relieved, having confirmed that there were no serious injuries. Knowing that the cameras were everywhere, she didn’t ask Yu Nian to lift her shirt. “If you’re worried, you can get an X-ray. But I think you’ve just pulled a muscle. If it hurts, you can get some pain medication from the pharmacy, or apply a hot compress tomorrow.”

Yu Nian’s eyes were blank.

“Thank you, Dr. Tang.”

She felt like her soul had left her body, only a mechanical shell remaining.

10:30 PM.

Time for the text messages.

Hearing the sound of the door opening, Yu Nian, sitting on the sofa with her phone, glanced over, thinking it was Tracy, the stylist. But it was Su Mingxiu.

She didn’t know when Su Mingxiu had left.

She glanced at Su Mingxiu, then looked down at her phone, her grip tightening, deliberately ignoring the bag in Su Mingxiu’s hand.

Staring at the message screen, she felt annoyed. Why did this stupid show require them to send messages? Weren’t they allowed to be uninterested in someone?

She stared blankly, thinking about what Su Mingxiu had done to her, feeling that even a polite message would be insincere. Until the program staff, seeing that time was running out, had the cameraman urge her to finish.

Even as investors, they had to follow the rules on the live stream.

Yu Nian grumbled, then wondered who Su Mingxiu would send her message to tonight—definitely not her, those words earlier… must have angered Su Mingxiu.

As she was thinking, her phone beeped with an incoming message.

She looked down and read: “Being young means endless possibilities, you’re still so young, no need to rush into decisions about the future.”

The sender…

Su Mingxiu.

Yu Nian lowered her head, hiding her face from the camera, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions.

After a moment, she replied: “This is my first day on the show, I’m glad to have met you.”

[Lol, others offer encouragement, Su Mingxiu is telling her to leave. Hahaha.]
[Wow! Professor Rong and Xiao Xu sent messages to each other! Finally, a mutual match!]
[Why is our “Persuade Her to Leave” CP not worthy?]
[Fun fact, Xu Wenbai and Su Mingxiu also exchanged messages on the first night.]

Returning to her room, Yu Nian thought Su Mingxiu was asleep, but the camera was off, and Su Mingxiu was sitting on the bed, reading the book Dr. Tang had given them.

And beside her, a bag.

Su Mingxiu, clearly having showered, was now in a bathrobe. Seeing Yu Nian silently walk towards the bed, she picked up the bag and handed it to her. “Do you want to do it yourself, or should I help you?”

What?

Yu Nian hesitated, then took the bag and opened it, finding a first-aid kit. After a moment, she blushed slightly.

“I’ll do it myself.”

The person reading didn’t even look up, as if having anticipated her answer.

Yu Nian walked towards the bathroom, her gait slightly awkward. After tending to her wounds, she climbed into bed, and the lights went out.

She paused, then turned to Su Mingxiu. “Why didn’t you choose a room with a bathtub?”

She remembered Su Mingxiu loved taking baths.

At Xiangjiang Huafu, Su Mingxiu would often bathe until late at night, even falling asleep in the bathtub, causing everyone to worry.

“I don’t like sharing a room with others.”

Oh.

Yu Nian pulled the blanket closer, then wanted to ask, What about me?

But she didn’t say anything. After a long silence, she said: “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said those things to you.”

No matter the truth, those words had been hurtful, and Su Mingxiu’s actions… weren’t entirely unjustified.

“I just… thought you had broken your promise, so I was angry, and I spoke without thinking.”

After saying this, she pulled the blanket over her head, prepared for Su Mingxiu’s silence.

But Su Mingxiu replied quickly: “I didn’t break my promise. I’m not here for love, my agent said this show pays well, so I’m just here for the money.”

Yu Nian listened quietly.

She thought those netizens praising Tang Jiansue’s voice were exaggerating… Su Mingxiu’s voice was also very pleasant.

After a long silence, just as Su Mingxiu was drifting off to sleep, she heard Yu Nian get out of bed. She was wondering if she should turn on the light when she heard the footsteps approaching.

Yu Nian stopped by the bed and asked: “Are you still angry?”

Su Mingxiu opened her eyes, their eyes now accustomed to the darkness, their faces barely visible. Her movement showed that she hadn’t been asleep.

Yu Nian squatted down, wanting to lie beside her, but remembering the pain, she climbed onto the bed instead, lying on top of the blanket, her voice muffled. “What do I have to do to earn your forgiveness?”

Su Mingxiu: “Get off.”

“I’ll get off if you forgive me.”

Yu Nian’s breath warmed Su Mingxiu’s chin. Oblivious, she hugged Yu Nian tighter, her eyes fixed on the figure above her.

Su Mingxiu chuckled softly, her voice like an electric current, sending shivers down Yu Nian’s spine. “It seems… you’re not hurting enough yet.”

“It hurts,” Yu Nian mumbled. “I didn’t apply any medicine, it would get messy, stain my clothes, so it hurts even more now.”

Seeing that Su Mingxiu didn’t respond, she raised a hand and caressed Su Mingxiu’s cheek, then poked her lightly, like a clingy puppy, whispering: “Can you… rub it for me?”

Rub it?

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, even though it was too dark to see. She remembered the medicine she had bought for Yu Nian, it had a cooling, then warming effect.

Her voice, a hint of amusement in the darkness, “Get the medicine first.”

Chapter 139: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (14)

[Ooh, is this a new contestant?]
[She looks like a college student… Help, mature woman x innocent girl, I’m into it…]
[Am I the only one who thinks they know each other? Did Yu Nian stop mid-sentence? What secrets are being kept from us VIP viewers?]

Since the cameramen were following them, the live stream had started when Yu Nian appeared. The viewers, expecting drama, were surprised by the newcomer! Another “top”!

Of course, with Su Mingxiu’s unique position in this season, the top/bottom dynamic didn’t seem to matter anymore. They just wanted to watch beautiful women flirt and be shipped.

Su Mingxiu, seeing the camera crew surrounding them, suppressed her questions and looked away, ignoring the sudden flutter in her chest caused by Yu Nian’s nickname. Her voice was calm. “Welcome to the show.”

[The little sister seems to be interested in Su Meiren… Su Meiren’s charm is irresistible!]
[Is it just me, or is Su Mingxiu being unusually cold towards her? Seems like SuYu ship won’t sail… sigh.]

Yu Nian, noticing Su Mingxiu’s indifferent attitude, remembering her smiles and flirtatious banter with the other contestants, felt a pang of jealousy.

She silently followed Su Mingxiu, seemingly oblivious to the cameras, her face expressionless, as they paid for the groceries and returned to One Mansion.

“Is that Mingxiu?”

Hearing the sound from the entrance, Tang Jiansue, still wearing her apron, came out of the kitchen. Seeing the unfamiliar face with a name tag behind Su Mingxiu, she paused, surprise in her gentle eyes. “Is this… the new contestant?”

Shao Chen, who had been helping her in the kitchen, quickly put down the scallions and walked towards the entrance.

[Lol, Attorney Shao is feeling threatened.]
[Did Shao Chen try to help Dr. Tang with the cooking this morning? I’m sensing a ShaoTang ship!]
[Lawyer and doctor? Dom x sub? The kind where the lawyer is seduced by the doctor’s gentle voice, ties her up, and the doctor whispers in her ear, asking her to remove the lab coat before continuing?]
[I swear, there are erotic fiction writers lurking in the live stream chat…]

As Shao Chen approached, Yu Nian had just finished listening to Tang Jiansue’s self-introduction. Hearing her gentle voice, remembering how Tang Jiansue had spent time alone with Su Mingxiu in the study, “discussing knowledge,” a coldness flickered in her light-colored eyes.

She glanced up and saw Shao Chen, her gaze falling on her tie, a new grey and gold one. She scoffed inwardly.

So obsessed with suits, why not just get a permanent tattoo?

But her thoughts didn’t show on her face. She introduced herself calmly, adding that she was about to start university at B University.

Tang Jiansue was stunned. “So young?”

[Whoa, are dating shows this competitive now? 18 years old? Didn’t this girl just finish her college entrance exam?]
[This 32-year-old single person feels attacked.]
[Wait, the show already has a “top student” persona, why add another one? Are they trying to make us viewers feel inadequate?]
[Would an ordinary student be on this show? I bet she’s a rich second-generation kid…]

Su Mingxiu, thankfully not seeing the live stream chat, would have been shocked by the viewers’ sharp observations.

While the audience was also discussing Yu Nian’s age, Shao Chen noticed how close she was standing to Su Mingxiu, much closer than strangers would normally stand. She narrowed her eyes and said meaningfully: “So it’s a little sister.”

Yu Nian glanced at her, about to speak, when Su Mingxiu suddenly said: “Are we going to stand here and chat all day?”

Tang Jiansue, realizing her rudeness, glanced at Yu Nian’s suitcase and smiled warmly. “Right, I’m still waiting for the hot pot ingredients you bought—”

“Professor Rong and Baibai should be back soon, Tracy has work and can’t join us for dinner. Attorney Shao and I are preparing the food. Why don’t you show our new friend to her room?”

[No! Dr. Tang, don’t give your rival a chance!]

Before Su Mingxiu could say anything, Yu Nian looked at the two women, then turned to Su Mingxiu, tilting her head slightly. “Isn’t there another bed in your room? I’ll stay with you.”

Tang Jiansue and Shao Chen: “…!”

[Tang and Shao: So the little brat is also a rival!]
[If it weren’t for Professor Rong inviting Baibai on a date this morning, I would have thought this show was scripted. Is this the new trend for amateur dating shows? How else can you explain Su Mingxiu’s irresistible charm?]

Shao Chen was the first to speak. “No!”

She had seen on the live stream that Rong Hua had used the date ball on Xu Wenbai, so she had relaxed slightly. And learning that Tracy wouldn’t be back for dinner, she thought her only competition was Dr. Tang.

She hadn’t expected a new contestant, especially one so young and clearly interested in Su Mingxiu.

It made her wonder if Yu Nian had watched the live stream and used her family connections to join the show.

Her refusal was too abrupt. Dr. Tang looked at her in surprise, and Yu Nian also turned to her, as if waiting for an explanation.

Shao Chen, seeing Su Mingxiu’s indifferent attitude, calmed down and said: “She prefers to have her own room.”

This was the reason Su Mingxiu had given for choosing a separate room.

“Is that so?”

Yu Nian asked Su Mingxiu directly, right in front of the other two.

[Damn, this girl is fearless…]
[Fight! Fight! This is the real drama!]
[I’m too scared to even eat my popcorn, young people are so bold.]

Su Mingxiu had remained calm when Shao Chen spoke for her, but seeing this little brat clearly looking for trouble, she couldn’t let her continue. She sighed and held out her hand. “Give me your suitcase.”

—

[Report! The player prefers them young!]
[To the person who said the SuYu ship won’t sail…]
[No matter the age, everyone loves an 18-year-old.]

Hearing Su Mingxiu’s clear preference for her, Yu Nian’s anger subsided slightly.

But she didn’t let Su Mingxiu carry her suitcase, only having her lead the way. They arrived at the guest room with the extra bed.

“I’m going to wash my hands,” Su Mingxiu said, walking towards the bathroom without looking back.

There were cameras installed in the room, but the cameraman didn’t follow them into the bedroom. Hearing Su Mingxiu’s words, Yu Nian didn’t bother looking around the room. “I want to take a shower first,” she said, then went over and turned off the camera.

The sound of running water…

Su Mingxiu turned off her microphone and stood before the mirror, her right hand under the stream of water, her thoughts hidden.

When Yu Nian entered, seeing that her microphone was also off, Su Mingxiu looked at the recent high school graduate.

Only the sound of water echoed in the room. For some reason, Su Mingxiu’s calm expression made Yu Nian sense a hint of anger, like an unyielding iceberg, a chilling presence.

But she quickly dismissed it as her imagination.

Her Little Mom, possessing such an intimidating aura, even more so than Yu Wanru? It must be her acting skills from her failed attempt at stardom.

Just then, she heard Su Mingxiu’s clear voice, close to her ear: “This isn’t where you should be, you can leave now.”

After a pause, she added: “You wouldn’t want Yu Wanru to come and drag you back herself, would you?”

She seemed to think Yu Nian was only here for fun, her tone condescending, like a parent talking to a child.

Yu Nian had initially wanted to be reasonable, considering Su Mingxiu’s earlier defense of her, but now, hearing these words, her expression turned cold.

“If you want me to leave—”

“Then leave the show with me tomorrow.”

Because of her beauty and her (failed) attempts at stardom, thanks to Sheng Qian’s efforts, Su Mingxiu’s appearance fee for this show was higher than the other contestants’. Therefore, her penalty for breaching the contract was also high.

After a moment of thought, Yu Nian scoffed. “I knew you wouldn’t want to lose money.”

“My mom was right, you would do anything for money… Saying one thing to my face, another behind my back, using sweet words to deceive others.”

Although she had known that Yu Nian had a sharp tongue, hearing her sarcastic words, Su Mingxiu’s expression darkened.

Yu Nian, seeing her cold expression, stepped closer, her voice soft and dangerous. “Is that how you treat the other contestants too?”

“You like that lawyer’s bag, you even gave her that suggestive look? What, as long as someone gives you money, you’ll do anything?”

As she spoke, she slowly untied the silk scarf belt of her skirt. She was wearing a white silk shirt with a cat print and a black A-line skirt.

The brightly colored silk scarf was the only pop of color in her black and white outfit.

Leaning closer to Su Mingxiu’s ear, she whispered: “I can give you money too.”

[Wuwuwu, why did she turn off the camera, I want to see Su Meiren!]
[Attorney Shao, you’ve plucked all the cilantro leaves… have mercy, there are plenty of other beauties.]
[Dr. Tang also looks dejected, she hasn’t even noticed Shao Chen’s cilantro massacre.]
[They are truly kindred spirits.]

The sudden sizzle of oil in the pot startled them. Shao Chen jumped up and saw Tang Jiansue, as if suddenly snapping out of her daze, reaching for the stove.

She instinctively pushed Tang Jiansue back, using the lid to shield her from the splattering oil as she turned off the heat.

Dr. Tang, coming back to her senses, said softly: “I… I can do it myself.”

Shao Chen realized her reaction had been overly protective. If others saw it, they would think she was flirting. But remembering Tang Jiansue’s profession, she said casually: “Those hands are meant for saving lives, it’s better to be careful.”

Then, she rubbed her ear, the one closer to Tang Jiansue.

She thought unconsciously, That voice is truly captivating, Su Mingxiu has good self-control.

Thinking of this, she glanced towards the living room, towards the bedrooms. Although she knew it was far, she couldn’t help but look, as if hoping to see Su Mingxiu emerge.

And the person she was thinking about was currently in the shower.

Behind the half-closed bathroom door…

A figure stood under the spray of water, her white shirt clinging to her skin, the black cat print blurred, like ink paintings on her body.

Her hands were tied to the wall with a wet silk scarf, her struggles futile.

The water cascaded down her back, making her arch slightly, like a banana leaf battered by rain.

But this wasn’t the most embarrassing part—

What truly shocked Yu Nian was that after tying her up, Su Mingxiu had calmly washed the thin, transparent plastic tube she had found in the bathroom cabinet, as if… she was preparing a whip.

The thought terrified her.

Then, a coldness, different from the warm water, traced her spine, sending shivers down her back, a primal fear of the unknown.

She was no longer calm. “What… what are you doing?”

“Since Yu Wanru can’t teach you a lesson, I don’t mind doing it myself,” Su Mingxiu said, her gaze tracing Yu Nian’s back, as if deciding where to strike.

Yu Nian’s expression turned blank, as if she couldn’t believe Su Mingxiu’s words. After a long moment, she finally asked, her voice filled with disbelief:

“Are you going to hit me?”

How could she?

When Yu Nian had first arrived at the Yu residence, she had been punished before. But Yu Wanru preferred making her kneel or skipping meals.

Until she completed her assigned tasks.

But Yu Wanru had never laid a hand on her.

The thought of being hit was… unbelievable.

Water splashed on the floor, splattering Su Mingxiu’s white boots, as if she had been walking through mud.

But she didn’t mind. After a moment of thought, she raised the tube and struck her own left palm, the sound making Yu Nian’s scalp tingle.

Yu Nian turned her head, staring at her in disbelief, until she saw a bright red welt appear on Su Mingxiu’s palm. Yu Nian, who had been struggling to free her hands, now pressed herself against the wall, as if afraid of being hit.

Too hard.

Su Mingxiu thought, the child wouldn’t be able to handle that much force.

She lowered her hand, her dark eyes fixed on Yu Nian.

If she had been angered by Yu Nian’s earlier sarcasm, now, after hearing her insults, she was amused.

“Why are you hiding?”

“Weren’t you quite bold just now? Continue.”

Yu Nian: “…”

Her expression changed, but in the end, remembering Su Mingxiu’s interactions with the other contestants, she suppressed her fear. “I wasn’t wrong!”

“Speak louder, let everyone hear how you get punished.”

Yu Nian wanted to retort, but her voice was lost—

Replaced by the sound of splashing water, the frosted glass of the shower door momentarily turning into a curtain of water.

Pain. Numbness.

The stinging pain on her lower back only registered after the sound of the tube whipping through the air had faded, but it felt like it had pierced her bones, making her shudder.

She hadn’t wanted to back down, stubbornly believing she was right. But after this, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Why… why are you…”

Before she could finish, another strike.

Yu Nian had never understood the expression “cornered like a rat,” but now, facing Su Mingxiu’s ruthlessness, the seemingly harmless tube causing such pain and humiliation, she wanted to escape, to find relief from this torment.

But she couldn’t.

“You can’t—”

As she squeezed out these words, the person behind her stopped. Yu Nian’s skirt had fallen down, her white shirt covering her.

But even through the layers of fabric, the redness on her delicate skin was visible.

Su Mingxiu’s breath hitched, she looked away, her smile gone, her voice cold and hard. “Apologize. Admit you were wrong.”

Yu Nian, amidst the humiliating pain, took deep breaths, feeling the warm water cascading down her back.

She had thought she could endure this, maintain her defiance.

But now, she realized Su Mingxiu’s turning on the hot water had been a deliberate act of cruelty. The heat intensified the pain, making tears stream down her face.

But why should she apologize?

What had she said wrong?

Her eyes and nose red, she turned around, like a rabbit caught in a snowstorm, her eyes and nose the only spots of color on her face.

Her usual arrogance was gone, shattered by the whipping, but even as she cried, she didn’t yield.

Su Mingxiu looked at her for a few seconds, her dark eyes still cold, but a smile curved her lips—

“Yu Nian.”

“You’re good.”

Chapter 138: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (13)

The program’s announcement echoed through the villa. Su Mingxiu, discussing porcelain patterns with Dr. Tang in the study, looked up, then thanked her for rolling up her sleeve.

“Want to go see?” Tang Jiansue suddenly suggested, her melodious voice a gentle caress to Su Mingxiu’s ears.

“Do you want to see?” Su Mingxiu countered, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

Unlike Shao Chen’s directness, Tang Jiansue was subtle, even in competition.

She was like a tranquil lake, her beauty revealed only upon close observation.

“I didn’t know about this ‘date’ setup, I’m curious about the format.”

Even though she was clearly interested in who had received the date ball and whether they would invite Su Mingxiu, she only offered this seemingly innocent explanation.

Su Mingxiu appreciated all the contestants. Xu Wenbai, so shy, probably pressured by friends or family to join, perhaps having struggled to even acknowledge her own sexuality, yet having achieved a doctorate, clearly possessing inner strength.

Tracy, her fashion sense sometimes too avant-garde, yet undeniably cool.

Attorney Shao, sometimes overbearing, but confident and successful.

And Professor Rong, a social butterfly—

In short, Su Mingxiu was enjoying her stay… as long as she didn’t have to consider choosing a partner.

“Then let’s go see,” Su Mingxiu stood up, preparing to go to the living room with Dr. Tang.

Tang Jiansue followed, glancing at the painting on the desk. “If you received the date ball, who would you give it to?” she asked, feigning casual interest.

[Ooh! Dr. Tang is testing the waters!]
[Did you see her look? Did she want to give that painting to Su Meiren?]

Su Mingxiu’s expression was zoomed in on the live stream, as if the program team was trying to read her mind.

She paused, her hand on the doorknob, her rolled-up sleeve falling back down. Then, she smiled. “Whoever I see first. Didn’t they say this show is about finding both love and friendship?”

[Low EQ: I haven’t decided yet; High EQ: Let’s make friends.]
[Is this the legendary player’s handbook?]

She looked back at Tang Jiansue, who, seeing her smile, nodded. “Yes, we can also have fun with friends.”

The SuTang fans in the live stream chat cried out in disappointment, feeling sorry for the gentle Dr. Tang.

They entered the living room and saw the others gathered around the sofa, Shao Chen pouring tea.

Seeing them, Shao Chen was the first to speak. “Were you two in the study together?”

[Look! Shao Chen’s eyes are darting between Su Meiren and Dr. Tang, like an Alpha trying to detect another’s scent on their Omega!]
[Are we getting Alpha/Omega dynamics now?]

Tracy waved at Su Mingxiu, gesturing towards the empty seat beside her. “Come have some tea.”

[Tracy: See, I’m not like that jealous type, a mature top should be understanding, knowing that their wife will eventually return to their arms!]
[It’s Tracy, not Tony!]

Su Mingxiu accepted her invitation. Shao Chen, seeing that she hadn’t answered her question, poured the tea slowly, her gaze intense.

Tang Jiansue, glancing at the seating arrangement, sat beside Xu Wenbai and Rong Hua, as if nothing had happened, and asked Rong Hua: “Why are you all having tea together?”

Professor Rong, seeing that Tang Jiansue had moved away from Su Mingxiu, guessed something and smiled, spreading her hands. “They were asking who found the date ball, and I said I found it on the windowsill behind the curtains while cleaning…”

Xu Wenbai, holding her teacup, looked at her with admiration.

[Baibai, what are you doing! You’re here to find a partner, not to gossip! A worried mother.jpg]
[Xu Wenbai: I can be a foodie, a tea lover, a gossip enthusiast… This love triangle is their business, I know nothing.]

Shao Chen added: “Before you two arrived, we were asking Professor Rong who she’s going to give the date ball to.”

Su Mingxiu took the teacup from Shao Chen, thanking her, seemingly oblivious to the meaning in her gaze, and asked casually: “Oh? Do you know the answer?”

Tracy replied: “Not yet.”

“Didn’t the program team give us 24 hours?” Rong Hua, after finishing her conversation with Tang Jiansue, smiled at them, her gaze sweeping over them like a teacher about to hand out exam papers, deliberately increasing their anxiety. “I heard the recipient can’t refuse, they have to go on a date with me… Are you nervous?”

Shao Chen and Tracy instinctively looked at Su Mingxiu.

Xu Wenbai looked around, confused, while Dr. Tang sipped her tea calmly.

[Lol, Professor Rong is enjoying the drama a little too much.]
[If I were Shao Chen, I would be suffocating.]

Amidst the silence, Rong Hua chuckled, finishing her Pu’er tea. “I think this show is quite interesting, holding this date ball feels like holding the Emperor’s sword, I’m going to savor this.”

After several rounds of tea, the evening tea party was interrupted by an emergency call for Dr. Tang.

After she left, Su Mingxiu excused herself, saying she needed to get ready for bed and work the next day.

The villa had many rooms. The spacious master bedroom, to accommodate the show’s format, was divided into two areas with three beds and a bathroom with a bathtub, where Xu Wenbai, Tang Jiansue, and Rong Hua stayed.

Shao Chen and Tracy each chose a smaller room with a single bed and a wardrobe, but no private bathroom.

Su Mingxiu had a spacious guest room with another bed, currently empty, and a simple shower. Although there was no bathtub, there were outdoor hot springs and a spa in the complex.

The advantage of this kind of reality show was that it didn’t interfere with the contestants’ work schedules. Every morning, Xu Wenbai would carpool with Professor Rong, Tracy’s team would pick her up, and Dr. Tang and Attorney Shao had their own transportation. They only needed to return to the villa in the evening.

Sheng Qian had indeed sent Su Mingxiu a new job offer. Because of her excellent performance in commercials, major brands in the city were now seeking her out. With the rapid development of e-commerce, her career was blossoming.

“Ding-dong—”

10:30 PM.

Time for the daily text messages.

Tang Jiansue, due to her work, had to leave early and had entrusted her phone and a pre-written message to the program team.

In their respective rooms, the other contestants took out their phones and started writing their messages.

[It’s here! Hunting time! Last night, everyone sent their messages to Su Meiren, can our queen maintain her perfect record tonight?]

Amidst the excited speculations in the live stream chat, Su Mingxiu, freshly showered, in a thin bathrobe, was holding her phone, feeling conflicted. She had interacted with Shao Chen, Tracy, and Dr. Tang today, and she could sense their interest. Sending a message might give them the wrong impression.

The safer options were Rong Hua and Xu Wenbai.

She had sent her first message to Xu Wenbai, would sending another one be misleading?

But…

Rong Hua had the date ball.

Su Mingxiu was pondering this when her phone beeped with incoming messages.

One from Shao Chen: “There’s an old saying, ‘Bags cure all ills,’ have you heard it?”

One from Tang Jiansue: “I never understood the beauty of antiques before, but after our conversation today, I really want to turn that design into reality. Are you interested in working on it together?”

One from Tracy: “Yesterday, you were a white rose, the bright moonlight before my bed; today, you are a black rose, the beauty mark on my heart.”

After these three messages, her phone was silent for a while.

Last night, she had also received messages from Xu Wenbai and Professor Rong. Xu Wenbai had said that Su Mingxiu was the first person she had met, and Rong Hua had praised her beauty, expressing her hope to get along.

[Eh? Baibai didn’t send a message to Su Meiren tonight!]
[I’m more interested in who Su Meiren will send her message to, no matter who it is, I’m going to be fantasizing all night…]
[Here it comes, here it comes!]

On screen, Su Mingxiu started typing, but before she could finish, she received another message, this one from Rong Hua: “Are you interested in a date?”

“Uh…” Su Mingxiu deleted her message, her inner self donning a mask of suffering.

Finally, she decided to send her message to Shao Chen: “Thank you very much for your gift.”

[ShaoSu! ShaoSu! Tonight, we celebrate!]
[Aha! I told you lawyer x beauty is the perfect match!]
[Persistence pays off!]

“Knock, knock, knock.”

The next morning, she knocked on Shao Chen’s door, then adjusted her earrings, catching their reflection in the glass on the hallway wall.

The door opened. Shao Chen, seeing her, smiled faintly. “I was just about to look for you. I’m free today, where are you working? I can drive you—”

Her voice trailed off as she saw the bag in Su Mingxiu’s hand.

The gift she had given her yesterday.

Shao Chen’s gentle expression vanished. Not having put on her glasses yet, her eyes were even sharper, her eyebrows and the corners of her eyes giving her an imposing aura.

“You don’t like it?”

If she didn’t like it, why had she sent the text message last night, thanking her?

[Whoa, such drama early in the morning!]
[Yesterday I was laughing at SuTang, thinking ShaoSu was endgame, now I’m the clown.]
[Critical hit!]
[Having it all? No, having nothing.]

“No,” Su Mingxiu tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s too expensive, we’ve only just met…”

Shao Chen interrupted: “It’s not expensive for me, and I don’t take back gifts I’ve given.”

In that moment, Su Mingxiu thought she and Yu Wanru, with their CEO-like pronouncements, would have a lot to talk about.

With Shao Chen’s expression, it was clear that returning the gift today was impossible.

The only way to repay this favor was with a gift of equal value. Su Mingxiu, holding the gift bag, her mind blank for a moment—

She had joined this show to earn money.

Yet, on the second day, half a month’s salary was gone.

One gift almost returned, one favor unrepaid, the atmosphere between them tense as they walked towards the entrance.

Su Mingxiu put on her high heels, about to say that she had a car, when the door opened, and Dr. Tang returned, looking tired.

“Were you at the hospital all night?” Su Mingxiu asked.

Tang Jiansue smiled and nodded, rubbing her temples. Despite her weary smile, her voice was still gentle. “So many emergencies last night, one surgery after another…”

“Should I bring you some apples after work tonight?” Su Mingxiu offered.

[The SuTang shippers are back!]
[The stock market of Heartthrob is open! ShaoSu shares plummeting, SuTang shares rising!]

Apples were a favorite among ER doctors, a comforting snack during night shifts.

Tang Jiansue, surprised by Su Mingxiu’s offer, smiled. “Okay.”

Although they were competitors, Dr. Tang was clearly the more passive one. Shao Chen, standing beside them, could only offer her concern: “Why don’t you have breakfast and rest first?”

While they were talking about breakfast, Su Mingxiu quickly excused herself, not giving Shao Chen a chance to offer her a ride.

After just one day, she had lost half a month’s salary. Su Mingxiu, recalling her cultivation skills, did a quick calculation and concluded that she couldn’t interact with Shao Chen anymore, it was bad for her finances.

“How’s it going?”

Half an hour later.

At the studio, Sheng Qian placed a breakfast he had bought nearby before Su Mingxiu and asked curiously.

He watched the live stream every day and had already guessed the drama that would unfold in the first episode, but he still wanted to hear Su Mingxiu’s thoughts.

Su Mingxiu, resting her chin on her hand, looked at him and sighed. “You only told me that this show pays well, but you forgot to mention the risk of… expenses.”

Sheng Qian: “?”

Sheng Qian: “Explain?”

Su Mingxiu poked the fried egg on her plate with her fork, then took a bite. “Relationships are expensive.”

Especially relationships on a dating show.

No longer interested in acting, Su Mingxiu was now thinking about how to minimize her screen time and avoid one-on-one interactions, so she wouldn’t have to receive or give gifts.

Sheng Qian: “emmm…”

He knew that Heartthrob season two was gaining popularity online, and many people were paying attention to Su Mingxiu, noticing that she hadn’t shown any clear preference for any of the contestants, even sending her first text message to Xu Wenbai.

And on the second day, she had sent a message to one of her admirers, only to return the gift the next morning.

Many people praised her for her masterful playing of the field, but only Sheng Qian knew how difficult it was for Su Mingxiu to maintain this balancing act while also trying to earn money.

He offered a dry comfort. “You’ve worked hard.”

“Not hard, just… a hard life.” Su Mingxiu thought about the original owner’s life. She hadn’t bothered earning money because she had relied on Yu Nian, thinking she could just coast along until Yu Nian inherited her mother’s fortune and took care of her.

And more importantly, although the system was currently trapped in her mental maze, it was just a projection, a small part of the actual system.

Su Mingxiu had experienced the consequences of OOC behavior, having paid a heavy price in Gui Mian’s world.

So she didn’t want to accumulate too many OOC points, lest the system take revenge in the next world.

But that didn’t mean she could accept her current financial struggles.

Sheng Qian was still trying to comfort her. “Don’t say that about yourself—”

“I’m talking about you,” Su Mingxiu glanced at him and said calmly, “If joining a variety show makes me lose money, I’ll have to consider going back to my old profession, and then you’ll be out of a job.”

“Hmm?” Sheng Qian was confused, wondering why he was suddenly facing unemployment. “What… what old profession?”

Su Mingxiu replied seriously: “Being a CEO.”

Sheng Qian: “??”

When Su Mingxiu had been living off Yu Wanru, he had advised her to use Yu Wanru’s resources to develop her own skills, but she hadn’t listened.

She had believed that there was no need to work hard when she had a mountain of gold to lie on.

And now… she was divorced.

He had known her for a while now. Although she seemed to be working harder after the divorce, her arrogance gone, her work ethic improved—

That didn’t mean she had the ability to run a company.

The gap between Su Mingxiu and a successful entrepreneur was… immeasurable.

He asked cautiously: “How much did you drink this morning? Did you have any peanuts with it?”

Su Mingxiu: “…”

This agent… should be fired.

After finishing the commercial shoot, having earned extra screen time due to the director’s favor, Su Mingxiu finally finished work at 5 PM. After parting ways with Sheng Qian, she drove towards One Mansion, stopping at a supermarket near the complex.

She remembered about the apples for Tang Jiansue. And since she was already out, she decided to call the others and ask if they needed anything.

Leaning slightly, her phone in one hand, the other tracing the various hot pot soup bases on the shelf, she said: “Hot pot tonight? Sure, I’m fine with that. One less tomato-flavored soup base? Let me see…”

Her red nails traced the rows of identical packages. Just as she was about to look at the next aisle, a long arm in a white shirt reached out and grabbed a tomato-flavored soup base. A calm voice beside her: “This one.”

About to thank the person, Su Mingxiu suddenly recognized the voice. She turned around and saw a person in a white shirt, a cat print at the hem, standing beside her.

But more importantly, that face.

She stared at the newcomer in surprise, about to ask what she was doing here, when the other person spoke first: “You’re Su Mingxiu, right? Nice to meet you, I’m… Yu Nian.”

“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu’s mind went blank for a moment, then she saw the camera crew behind Yu Nian.

Her lips parted slightly, her question still unasked, when Yu Nian took out a name tag from her pocket and attached it to her shirt.

The name tag looked familiar… the same ones the Heartthrob contestants wore. And Yu Nian’s was also blue.

“You—”

She suppressed her emotions and looked directly at Yu Nian, wanting to ask why she wasn’t at university, registering for classes, but she couldn’t ask in front of the cameras.

“Can I call you Susu?” Yu Nian asked, her light-colored eyes fixed on Su Mingxiu, an almost stubborn look in her gaze.

No one knew what she was feeling, joining this show. But seeing Su Mingxiu, every cell in her body seemed to be screaming, and she realized:

Coming here, I will never regret it.

She wouldn’t sit behind a screen anymore, anxiously guessing who Su Mingxiu would choose, when she would reject someone, when she would give someone hope…

She was tired of the viewers’ matchmaking and shipping!

The cameraman, behind Yu Nian, could only capture Su Mingxiu’s expression. So Su Mingxiu, using all her acting skills, maintained a blank expression, as if meeting a stranger on the street.

“That’s… inappropriate,” she finally said, her voice slightly hoarse from suppressing her emotions.

Does this little brat even know what kind of show this is? She’s barely an adult!

But Yu Nian stared at her, a strange smile curving her lips, very different from her usual expression. “Oh?”

“Then do you prefer to be called—”

She drew out her words, then mouthed silently: “Little Mom?”

Chapter 137: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (12)

Yu Nian rarely discussed her family matters with her friends. But in their small, elite circle, gossip spread quickly, especially about divorces and incompetent heirs.

When Yu Wanru’s kidnapping had become public, other wealthy families had become wary, hiring full-time security.

And when same-sex marriage was legalized, these traditional families had looked down on it, especially the older generation, who wouldn’t allow their children to choose such a path.

But Yu Wanru had married a woman, a young, seemingly naive woman who couldn’t offer her any support in her career.

Even their business partners gossiped, wondering how Yu Wanru planned to have children.

Then, a few years later, she had brought home a seven or eight-year-old child, who resembled neither her nor her “wife.”

The gossip intensified.

It was in this awkward situation that Yu Nian became Yu Wanru’s chosen heir. Perhaps having exhausted her youthful rebelliousness, Yu Wanru was strict with Yu Nian, demanding she follow the path of an elite, carefully planning her future—

And because Yu Nian was capable, she gradually gained acceptance among her peers.

They knew about her complicated family situation and avoided mentioning it. After all, who didn’t have their own secrets?

But Su Mingxiu’s case was particularly eye-catching. Since the day she married Yu Wanru, people had been waiting for the inevitable downfall. They had assumed the divorce would be the end of her story. Who could have imagined that this practically penniless ex-wife would appear on a Wanda-sponsored show, flaunting Wanda’s resources, playing the role of the charming heartbreaker? Those who knew the inside story couldn’t help but be shocked.

Now, seeing Yu Nian’s expression, her friends, putting themselves in her shoes, felt suffocated.

A strict mother, and a shameless, attention-seeking ex-stepmother, if it were them, they would probably run away from home.

It was absurd.

“Niannian…” Dai Yan, nudged by the others, had to speak up. “Out of sight, out of mind. Just… stay offline for a while, don’t watch that show, it’s just upsetting, right?”

The others quickly agreed. “Yeah, or if it bothers you that much, just have her removed from the show. We’re the investors, it’s just a matter of saying the word.”

…

Dong Lin, listening to their suggestions, felt uneasy. She knew that Yu Nian had been spending a lot of time at Su Mingxiu’s apartment recently, even bringing back snacks. Their relationship wasn’t as distant as these people thought.

Did Yu Nian also think… that Su Mingxiu joining a dating show after her divorce was shameful?

Dong Lin looked at her friend with concern.

Just as she was about to speak, Yu Nian walked towards the door. “Put it on my tab. I suddenly remembered something, I have to go.”

It was obvious that she was upset by Su Mingxiu’s appearance on the show.

Since the gathering was meant to be a farewell party, with the main character leaving early, the others also found excuses to disperse.

“Dong Lin, right? Where do you live? I can give you a ride,” a boy offered.

Dai Yan kicked him lightly. “Get lost.” Then, she showed Dong Lin her Ferrari keys. “I just got a new car, want to try it out? Don’t worry, I have a license.”

“Ding.”

The elevator reached the ground floor. Yu Nian, in a classic Burberry trench coat, walked towards the hotel exit, the iconic pattern accentuating her elegance. Heads turned as she passed.

But Yu Nian didn’t notice. She didn’t even realize that despite the sudden drop in temperature and the return of summer-like heat, she was dressed for autumn while everyone else was in shorts and t-shirts.

Her friends’ words echoed in her mind.

“Upsetting.”

“Annoying.”

These words swirled in her head, like intrusive thoughts, fueling her anger.

The more she thought about it, the more upset she became, the images from the live stream replaying in her mind.

But…

Was that the real reason for her anger?

Yu Nian tugged at the collar of her shirt, feeling the heat, her rationality being overwhelmed by emotions. And the dominant emotion was anger.

Anger at Su Mingxiu’s gentle promises, her assurances that she wouldn’t rush into a new relationship, that she would put Yu Nian’s feelings first, making Yu Nian believe that she could change Su Mingxiu.

Until she saw this show, Su Mingxiu’s same gentle smile directed at others, her acceptance of expensive gifts—

Yu Nian scoffed.

What am I to her?

A “cheap daughter” whose value would only be realized in the future. For someone like Su Mingxiu, someone who could offer her a comfortable life, a walking ATM, was more important, right?

Meanwhile, at One Mansion, the House of Elegance…

It was the second day since the contestants had moved in. Besides the audience, they didn’t know who else was interested in whom. They only knew who they had sent their first-night text message to, the rest was unknown.

But in this second season, due to Su Mingxiu’s exceptional beauty and the impressions from their first meeting, several contestants had already identified the competition.

“Dinner’s ready!”

The cheerful call from the dining room made Su Mingxiu close the lid of the expensive gift box and head towards the sound.

“Coming,” she replied, opening her door. Unlike yesterday’s pure white dress, which emphasized her innocence, today she wore a playful black dress, a design meant for both formal and casual occasions, with a cute bow detail.

Since the contestants had been at work during the day, the live stream only started at 5 PM. The viewers, eager for more drama, were excited to see her walking towards the dining room.

[Heehee, I’ve already created a document, ready for live blogging.]
[Did you see Shao-jiejie’s smug smile? I hate to break it to her, but Su Meiren had a late-night snack with Tracy last night, they talked for an hour, already exchanged preferences, handsome T x beautiful P is the best!]
[You ShaoSu and TracySu shippers are too obvious, SuTang is the real deal! Dr. Tang bought a book, I predict a romantic scene tonight—candlelit reading perhaps?]
[SuBai shippers, important message, repeated three times: Su Mingxiu sent her text message to Baibai last night! To Baibai! To Baibai!]
[Is SuRong not worthy?]

As the fans argued in the live stream chat, Su Mingxiu entered the living room and saw Shao Chen, who was still working. Attorney Shao was wearing a different suit today, a subtle yet luxurious design with gold and silver threads.

Su Mingxiu stopped before her, about to mention the gift, when Shao Chen interrupted: “Wait, you guys eat first, I need five more minutes.”

Just then, Rong Hua, carrying dishes to the dining table, called out to Su Mingxiu. “Come and sit, Xiuxiu, Dr. Tang and Xiao Xu’s cooking is amazing, I can’t be the only one to be impressed.”

Su Mingxiu, abandoning her plan to talk to Shao Chen privately, walked towards the dining table. Yesterday, she had sensed the strange atmosphere and had waited for everyone to sit down before choosing a seat. But today, she had no such opportunity—

Rong Hua practically pushed her between Tang Jiansue and Xu Wenbai, then sat across from her.

The live stream chat was filled with question marks, then exclamation points.

[This is a bottom alliance! While those two tops are still fighting each other, the bottoms have united! Well done, Professor Rong!]
[Shao Chen, are you still sitting there? Your back is on fire! Your bag is about to be snatched!]

“Ding!”

The oven timer beeped. They turned around and heard Tracy’s voice: “Make way, this is hot.”

Xu Wenbai, the obedient little bird, immediately stood up, and Tracy placed a seafood pizza, topped with colorful bell peppers, before Su Mingxiu.

Tracy, not leaving yet, glanced at the three “bottoms” surrounding Su Mingxiu, one hand on the back of her chair, her body leaning close. “You told me last night that you couldn’t find good seafood at the supermarket and that you were too lazy to go to the wet market, so you hadn’t tried this pizza yet. I had a colleague buy some fresh seafood today, want to try mine?”

The other dishes on the table—braised chicken wings, beef stew, stir-fried cabbage, fish head with chopped chili peppers—were all visually appealing.

But compared to Tracy’s pizza with its backstory, they seemed less enticing.

[Tracy: You might have captured her body, but I have captured her heart.]

Shao Chen, still working, closed her laptop and stood up, her sharp eyes fixed on Tracy, her expression cold, as if she was jealous of Tracy’s time alone with Su Mingxiu.

Tang Jiansue smiled warmly and asked Su Mingxiu: “Do you have any particular preferences? We can all share, so we can cater to everyone’s tastes tomorrow.”

[Lol, Tracy thought she had the cheat sheet, but Dr. Tang is asking the teacher for the answers.]
[That analogy is so accurate!]

Xu Wenbai, looking from one to the other, asked Su Mingxiu softly: “Can… can we eat now?”

“Of course, everyone’s here.”

Su Mingxiu, seizing the opportunity to escape the tension, turned to Xu Wenbai, even offering her a slice of pizza.

Tracy, seeing this, straightened up, as if hearing the live stream audience’s commentary: “First blood!”

Just then, Shao Chen walked between Su Mingxiu and Tang Jiansue, seemingly wanting to get some soup.

Standing there, her imposing aura made Tang Jiansue, who had been about to talk to Su Mingxiu, give up.

Rong Hua, sitting across from them, said: “Attorney Shao, there are seats here, no need to crowd over there, come sit here.”

“I prefer to stand—”

Before Shao Chen could finish her cold refusal, Su Mingxiu stood up and said: “Attorney Shao seems to want to sit here, I’ll switch places with you.”

Before Shao Chen could react, Su Mingxiu had already moved, leaving her surrounded by Tracy, still reeling from the pizza incident, Xu Wenbai, quietly eating, and Tang Jiansue, her smile unchanging.

[Tsk, tsk, tsk, double kill!]
[Suddenly reminded of that meme: Cupid: I don’t believe my arrows can’t hit you; Su Mingxiu, standing in a rain of arrows: I’m single by choice.]
[Haven’t you noticed? With this seat change, Professor Rong is the biggest winner. I’m getting inspiration for a腹黑 (black-bellied) x beautiful older sister fic, the kind where the seemingly cheerful professor, while wiping the sweat from her lover’s brow, asks with a smile: Can’t go on anymore? Want me to take over?]—Is the live stream chat turning into an erotic fiction writing session?]
[Who says she can’t go on?! Su Mingxiu is a top! Tops don’t admit defeat!]

Su Mingxiu, unaware that she had become the subject of numerous fan fics, sat beside Rong Hua, politely refusing her enthusiastic offers of food, finishing her meal quickly. Wanting only to play the role of the beautiful extra and collect her paycheck, she was about to leave when Shao Chen stopped her.

“Everyone worked hard preparing dinner, except for Mingxiu and me. Let’s do the dishes together.”

Together.

Tracy, having just recovered from the pizza incident, was about to sit beside Su Mingxiu when she heard those words.

[Baibai, Dr. Tang, Tracy: We were wrong to have hope.]

Su Mingxiu couldn’t refuse, she couldn’t be too obvious about avoiding work. She slowed down her eating, then, following Shao Chen’s lead, stayed behind to wash the dishes.

Shao Chen put on an apron and walked over to Su Mingxiu, seeing that she had already cleared the table. “Alright, leave the rest to me, don’t come into the kitchen, you’ll get your hands dirty.”

With cameras everywhere, Su Mingxiu couldn’t just leave. She smiled faintly. “Are you sure there’s nothing I can do?”

Shao Chen looked at her for a moment, then smiled. “There is.”

She gestured towards her neck, revealing the collar of her shirt and her tie.

“Untie my tie for me, it’s been a long day, it’s a bit tight.”

After a moment of silence, Su Mingxiu stepped forward, her white fingertips touching the gold and red tie, her red manicure complementing its color.

Su Mingxiu thought her actions were perfectly innocent, unaware of how intimate they appeared on camera.

[Oh my god, untying the tie, I’m dead, Shao Chen, you’re so smooth! Don’t bother with Su Mingxiu, just take me!]
[Everyone knows, untying a powerful woman’s tie, slowly unbuttoning her collar, is the most irresistible scene.]
[My tears are flowing, is this really free content?]

As the tie loosened, its edges falling around Su Mingxiu’s wrist, Shao Chen looked down at her delicate skin and suddenly said: “My tie’s color… suits you.”

[What tie color? Just say you two are a perfect match!]
[Shao Chen: Bound by program rules, I must be subtle.]

Su Mingxiu removed the tie, twirling it around her finger, then looked up at Shao Chen with a playful smile, her eyes full of unspoken meaning. “Really? Suits what? My hands?”

She casually draped the tie over her arm, its long, gold and red fabric swaying in the air, seemingly loose, yet, after her words, it evoked images of being tightly bound.

[Ahhhhhh I can only scream!]
[Is this the tension between two top-tier alphas? I’m dying, my neighbors are going deaf, the old man down the street just ripped off his hearing aid and suddenly recovered!]
[Can we get a demonstration of this bondage play? I’m not familiar with this.]

Even Shao Chen, who considered herself experienced, was momentarily stunned by Su Mingxiu’s gaze and smile, her heart skipping a beat, as if…

The prey she had thought was within her grasp had suddenly roared like a tiger.

Su Mingxiu’s application hadn’t been a lie.

While she was still in a daze, Su Mingxiu, as if it had all been a joke, asked again if there was anything she could do.

After Shao Chen shook her head, she put the tie on the sofa and meticulously wiped the table.

“Thud…”

The sound of a water bottle falling to the floor.

Yu Nian, who had chosen to stay at a hotel instead of returning to the Yu residence, knocked over the bottle, her face dark as she watched the intimate scene between Su Mingxiu and Shao Chen, their suggestive words.

So this is her type?

Yu Nian angrily closed her phone. From dinner to dishwashing, her mood had been a rollercoaster, her emotions controlled by Su Mingxiu.

Seeing others flirt with Su Mingxiu, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. Seeing Su Mingxiu unaffected, she felt both relieved and worried, wondering if Su Mingxiu was playing hard to get.

And all these emotions had exploded during Su Mingxiu and Shao Chen’s private moment.

Staring at Shao Chen’s face, Yu Nian saw only the allure of wealth. As Su Mingxiu and Shao Chen interacted, she couldn’t help but criticize them internally.

Are the viewers blind?

How are these two a match?

Shao Chen is clearly just treating Su Mingxiu as a temporary plaything, at least the others put some effort into their gifts, but her? She just throws money around, so vulgar!

Someone like that could never be sincere with Su Mingxiu!

Yu Nian couldn’t stand watching the show anymore. She couldn’t even understand why Wanda would invest in such a trashy program.

Frustrated and sweating, she reached for her water bottle, forgetting that she had knocked it over. Looking around, she could only get a new one from the fridge.

The suite was quiet, only her own movements breaking the silence.

She sat back down, opened a can of soda, the cool liquid calming her anger slightly. But the silence in the room made her restless.

Not watching the show was even worse—

Because she didn’t know how many more “wildflowers” would appear around Su Mingxiu.

She took a large gulp of soda and turned her phone back on, only to see Su Mingxiu at the desk, teaching Tang Jiansue how to paint the patterns on porcelain, similar to traditional Chinese painting.

Tang Jiansue had learned Chinese painting before. They had been discussing a book about antiques, the conversation drifting towards porcelain patterns and painting.

With the paper spread out, a paperweight holding it down, Tang Jiansue drew a design for a porcelain vase, decorated with silk tree flowers. As they were talking, Su Mingxiu’s sleeve accidentally brushed against the wet ink.

“Let me roll up your sleeve,” Tang Jiansue said, her fingers already touching Su Mingxiu’s sleeve. Su Mingxiu’s black dress had semi-transparent long sleeves, a subtle hint of allure.

But as the sleeves were rolled up, the allure intensified, like polishing jade, revealing its inner brilliance.

[Silk tree flowers… tsk, is that a double entendre?]
[How can intellectuals be so seductive? Forget the vase, paint me! I’ll be the canvas!]
[Give us the R-18 content!]

“Crack.”

Yu Nian crushed the soda can slightly.

She didn’t even notice the soda spilling onto her hand and dripping onto the carpet, her gaze fixed on the screen.

Silk tree flowers?

Really?

Just as she was about to get up and pace around, she noticed a small exclamation mark in the corner of the live stream. She clicked on it, intending to watch other contestants to calm down, but she saw Professor Rong holding a small plastic ball.

“Congratulations to the first guest to find the date invitation ball! Please give this ball to the contestant you’d like to go on a date with within 24 hours. The recipient cannot refuse—”

Rong Hua, hearing the announcement, tossed the ball in her hand and asked, her voice cheerful and direct: “Any kind of date invitation?”

—

[What are you planning, Professor?]
[This is a date invitation, not a hookup invitation!]

Thinking about Rong Hua’s earlier actions at the dinner table, Yu Nian’s expression froze.

Chapter 136: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (11)

August 20th, One Mansion.

The Heartthrob contestants, all strangers, were contacted individually by the program team. For filming purposes, the show didn’t provide clothing.

But stylists would offer fashion advice and makeup services.

Su Mingxiu’s stylist, seeing her elegant white fishtail dress, was impressed. “It seems I can’t offer Miss Su any assistance.”

He had seen many amateurs make the mistake of dressing too casually or too formally for the show.

Su Mingxiu’s attire was perfect. Few could pull off a plain white dress, requiring exceptional beauty and figure. And her makeup was subtle, enhancing her natural features. The stylist was certain she would be the most dazzling contestant!

“I wish you all the best on the show,” he said, directing her to the filming location.

Sheng Qian wasn’t present today, having completed the initial preparations. Su Mingxiu walked through the courtyard of One Mansion, impressed by the beautiful landscaping.

Unlike Pearl Manor’s urban opulence, One Mansion was located in the suburbs, near natural hot springs, incorporating the surrounding scenery, creating a tranquil and picturesque environment. Each villa had its own private hot spring pool.

Bamboo groves, hot springs, rockeries, white walls, black tiles, pavilions… Su Mingxiu, arriving at the most scenic Villa 8, had already taken in the beauty of the complex.

As the first guest to arrive, the cameras followed her. The live stream, initially empty, quickly filled with viewers.

[Are real estate agents this beautiful now?]
[Tell me the price so I can give up on my dreams.]
[Wait, is this Heartthrob season two? Is she from a talent show? Are dating shows this high-level now?]

Su Mingxiu entered Villa 8, “The House of Elegance,” the sound of flowing water and the scent of sulfur from the hot springs filling the air. She had initially thought joining this show for money was a bit reckless, but seeing the beautiful environment, she felt like she had made a good deal.

The wooden door opened, revealing a winding corridor with uniquely designed windows, intricate carvings offering glimpses of the courtyard’s scenery. The living room’s decor was equally impressive.

Su Mingxiu rested her chin on her hand and examined a teacup, thinking that even this cheap imitation looked quite elegant.

If it weren’t for the system’s mission, she would have enjoyed competing with Yu Wanru. Wanda Group’s investment in this project was impressive.

“H-hello,” a voice startled her.

She turned and saw a petite girl with delicate features, her eyes smiling shyly. “Hello,” Su Mingxiu replied.

She pulled out the chair beside her and gestured for the girl to sit.

The program team had positioned Su Mingxiu as the “flower vase,” requiring only her beauty, not any domestic skills. A cold and aloof demeanor suited her perfectly, enough to captivate the audience.

But Su Mingxiu, used to taking care of others, seeing the girl standing there, couldn’t help but invite her to sit, even adding softly: “Don’t be nervous, I just arrived too, I don’t know what the process is.”

The girl’s face flushed red as she sat down, only nodding, unable to speak, like a shy little bird.

[Her name tag says “Xu Wenbai.” Aww, like a little white-rumped munia, so shy! But who wouldn’t be nervous in front of such a beauty?]
[Someone write a fic about sexy big sister x shy girl, please! Su Mingxiu alone is enough for me to watch this season!]

As the live stream chat became lively, and the atmosphere slightly awkward, the other contestants started arriving, easing the tension between Su Mingxiu and Xu Wenbai.

The third guest arrived in a sharp grey suit, an air of decisiveness about her.

Her gold-rimmed glasses and limited-edition Patek Philippe watch exuded an aura of sophistication.

She sat across from Su Mingxiu, her gaze sweeping over Xu Wenbai, then returning to Su Mingxiu. “Hello, I’m Shao Chen.”

“Su Mingxiu.”

“I… I’m Xu Wenbai, nice to meet you.”

Compared to their introductions, Xu Wenbai’s sounded like a rehearsed school presentation.

Shao Chen looked at Su Mingxiu’s blue name tag, then at Xu Wenbai’s, also blue, then said, “Why are our name tags blue, and hers is pink? Is it random?”

Su Mingxiu, sensing Shao Chen’s aura, remembered the application form and guessed: “Top and bottom?”

Xu Wenbai, clearly not comfortable discussing her sexual orientation publicly, blushed even deeper. Shao Chen, however, looked at Su Mingxiu thoughtfully. “You’re a top?”

Same-sex dating shows had this added layer of complexity. Unlike fixed roles for men and women in heterosexual relationships, most women’s roles were more fluid. The program team’s initial request for “1” or “0” was simply to categorize the contestants.

Su Mingxiu nodded.

Shao Chen, her gaze sharp behind her glasses, looked at Su Mingxiu’s stunning face and said meaningfully: “Many girls thought they were tops, before they met me.”

—

[Damn! Season two is this exciting? Such a dominant line right off the bat?]
[Shao-jiejie is clearly a top. Two tops meet, one must become a bottom? I’m getting excited!]
[Forget the sexy goddess x shy girl, I’m writing a strong x strong fic! The tension between the suit and the white dress… my trash can is overflowing with crumpled tissues!]

The program rules stated that during their stay, the contestants couldn’t confess directly or contact each other privately through electronic devices.

But they could express their interest in various ways and invite each other on dates.

And the subtle hints and innuendos were even more intriguing than direct confessions.

Su Mingxiu hadn’t encountered many people with such a strong presence before. Although she was only here for the money, she knew what the program team wanted. So she didn’t refuse directly, only changing the subject. “Which law firm do you work at, Attorney Shao?”

Her correctly guessing Shao Chen’s profession surprised Shao Chen, her initial admiration deepening.

She could also tell something about Su Mingxiu’s background, her elegant demeanor suggesting a pampered lifestyle, a rich socialite. Shao Chen herself was well-off and openly admitted to being attracted to beauty.

But she hadn’t expected this target to be… more interesting than she had imagined.

“Hello, everyone.”

Before Shao Chen could answer, the fourth guest arrived, her gentle voice capturing everyone’s attention. Su Mingxiu thought she was a voice actress, her voice so unique and memorable.

Like an exquisite auditory feast.

Compared to Shao Chen’s suit, the fourth guest’s attire was more casual, a stylish combination of a knit top and pants. Her warm smile made everyone feel at ease.

“I’m Tang Jiansue. Sorry I’m late—I bought these on my way here. I hope we can all get along during the next month.”

Tang Jiansue also had a pink name tag. Unlike the other guests who arrived empty-handed, her small gifts made a good impression, her thoughtfulness seeming genuine.

She looked at Su Mingxiu and Xu Wenbai, then at Shao Chen, who was sitting alone, and, after asking, sat beside her.

Amidst the sulfur scent from the hot springs, Su Mingxiu smelled a faint antiseptic scent and glanced at Tang Jiansue, who immediately apologized softly: “Sorry, I just finished a few surgeries, I even took a shower, do I still smell like disinfectant?”

So she’s a doctor.

Su Mingxiu shook her head, remembering her own time discussing cases with colleagues in a medical setting. “No, I quite like the scent.”

Shao Chen immediately looked at them.

[Is this a love triangle already?! The show’s pace is faster than I expected!]
[So Su-jie doesn’t like delicate girls, she prefers the smell of disinfectant? 23333]
[My ShaoSu ship will not sink!]
[New CP alert: Sexy beauty x gentle doctor! A doctor! They know all about anatomy, imagine the possibilities!]
[To the person above, this is the internet police, send me everything you have on your phone, or I’ll beg you!]

Xu Wenbai, who had been quietly listening, suddenly exclaimed: “Wow, this is that popular novel, I was just thinking of buying it!”

Tang Jiansue, relieved, patted her chest. “I asked a colleague for recommendations, I haven’t been keeping up with the latest trends, I’m glad you like it.”

Xu Wenbai carefully placed the book in front of her, showing her appreciation.

The live stream chat started shipping the two “bottoms.”

[Lol, twenty minutes into the live stream, four guests, four potential couples: SuShao, SuTang, SuBai, TangBai… The only certainty is that Baibai is definitely a bottom, the rest is up in the air!]
[More, please! More drama! I love watching these beautiful and successful women fight over each other!]
[Forget those fake relationships on talent shows, Heartthrob is where the real drama is!]

…

As more guests arrived, the live stream audience grew, drawn by the beautiful contestants and the potential for romantic entanglements. Like Sherlock Holmes, they searched for clues, eager to be the first to identify the real couples.

The fifth guest, Rong Hua, a university lecturer, was lively and outgoing.

She introduced herself and asked the others where they were from. Being new to the city, she asked Su Mingxiu, Tang Jiansue, and Shao Chen about local food and attractions.

Xu Wenbai, hearing the name of her university, asked softly: “Are you the recently appointed Professor Rong? I saw a poster for your lecture.”

Rong Hua touched her head. “Eh? Are you a student there?”

“I’m currently working at the post-doctoral research station,” Xu Wenbai replied.

[A post-doc? A university professor? A law firm partner? A chief physician published in The Lancet? This show should be called Heartbreak instead of Heartthrob.]
[I admit, I’m feeling inferior, there’s a reason why I’m not worthy of these beauties.]
[Compared to them, Su Mingxiu, a commercial model, seems so ordinary…]
[To the person above, look at her face and say “ordinary” again. If I had half her beauty, I would be laughing in my dreams.]

With Rong Hua’s arrival, the atmosphere became more lively. Tang Jiansue, seeing the tea set and finding a box of tea leaves in the kitchen, offered to make tea for everyone.

Xu Wenbai started a conversation with her about tea-making customs in different regions. Rong Hua, from a STEM background, listened with interest, asking questions. Shao Chen, after smelling the tea leaves and frowning slightly, looked up at Su Mingxiu, who was smiling, and asked: “Do you also like tea?”

“I have some Pu’er tea cakes in my office, a client gave them to me, supposedly from ancient tea trees. I can bring some tomorrow for everyone to try.”

Although she said “everyone,” her gaze was fixed on Su Mingxiu. She was the most direct of all the contestants.

It suited her profession, gathering information, then targeting her opponent’s weaknesses.

Su Mingxiu warmed her teacup with hot water. “I prefer these antique-style teacups, the patterns are interesting.”

[Shao Chen: Launching my love arrow! Su Mingxiu: Dodge!]

Tang Jiansue, from a scholarly family, exposed to various interests since childhood, hearing Su Mingxiu’s words, smiled warmly. “I didn’t know Mingxiu was interested in these things. My father also likes antiques, he often says my hobbies are too common, he would definitely love to meet you.”

[Whoa, Dr. Tang, so gentle, yet already talking about meeting the parents, a subtle attack.]
[Su Mingxiu: A woman both tops and bottoms find irresistible.]

Xu Wenbai’s compliment was even more direct. She looked at Su Mingxiu with admiration. “Wow, you know so much, you’re so amazing.”

[Baibai: Straightforward!]

Su Mingxiu, surprised by her sudden boldness, offered her a cup of tea, then took one for herself. Before she could reply, the sixth guest arrived—

Black earrings, blue-streaked short hair, and shiny Doc Martens, a walking embodiment of “fashion” and “trend.”

She even deserved her own entrance music and spotlight.

She wasn’t fazed at all. After introducing herself, she added her English name. “Just call me Tracy. I’m a stylist, I mainly work with celebrities. A friend told me there was a very stylish young lady on the show…”

Her gaze was fixed on Su Mingxiu.

Shao Chen, who hadn’t been bothered by the other contestants’ attempts to impress Su Mingxiu, now, hearing Tracy’s seemingly casual yet direct compliment about Su Mingxiu’s appearance, sensed her ambition.

A formidable opponent!

Shao Chen’s internal alarm bells were ringing.

Su Mingxiu accepted the professional compliment, her expression unreadable, giving no indication of her preference.

#Heartthrob Season Two
#Su Mingxiu from the talent show is here!
#Heartthrob love triangle

Even before the first episode aired, the show was already trending, generating immense interest.

The evening of August 21st…

Yu Nian, finally free from her internship and able to meet her friends, was hosting a dinner at a restaurant.

Besides Dong Lin, her other close friends and childhood acquaintances were also present.

This gathering was also a farewell party before she left for university in the capital.

They wished her well, and she reciprocated. After a few rounds of dishes, they started talking about their summer break.

Her wealthy friends shared their latest acquisitions. “I wanted to get my driver’s license after ordering this Bentley, but they told me the waiting list is two years! How many cars do they even sell each year? This hunger marketing just makes me think they have low production capacity.”

“Be grateful you even managed to order one. I’m trying to buy a watch, this year’s new model, you know how annoying these watch brands are now? They’re copying that bundling tactic. My watch costs 800,000 yuan, and they want me to buy another 800,000 yuan worth of other stuff, it’s so annoying! Even with personal shoppers, it’s the same. I don’t know who’s getting the bigger profit, the store or the reseller.”

“I’m going abroad soon, my mom has a villa in XX Estates. The personal shoppers there are good, I can help you buy stuff if you need.”

“You’re the best!”

…

Dong Lin, listening to their conversations about luxury goods, felt her mind drifting, wondering if her juice was spiked with alcohol.

She decided to scroll through Weibo to regain her composure.

Clicking on the trending topics, her expression turned strange. She glanced at Yu Nian, wondering whether she should say something.

But before she could decide, Yu Nian’s friends, somehow shifting from cars and watches to real estate, one of them turned to Yu Nian. “Hey, your family’s One Mansion project, are there any other phases planned? Save me a unit.”

“Right, did you watch that show? My family booked a unit earlier, the scenery there is amazing. My grandparents are spending their vacation there now. There’s also a good nursing home nearby, a collaboration with Yanyan’s family, it’s quite impressive.”

Yu Nian, hearing them mention the Wanda project, checked the company’s internal system. “I don’t see any other phases planned for One Mansion, I don’t know if my mom will continue with the project.”

Then, she asked: “Isn’t that an old project? Why are you suddenly interested?”

Her friends, thinking about her family situation, exchanged glances, none of them knowing how to break the news. Dai Yan, scrolling through her phone, finally spoke: “Didn’t you know? Your Little Mom is on a dating show, sponsored by your family, filmed at One Mansion. It’s trending—”

She corrected herself: “Oh, ex-Little Mom.”

“Screech—”

The sound of a chair scraping against the floor.

The chatter stopped. Her friends looked at her in surprise, wondering about her sudden reaction.

Dong Lin, the only one who had guessed that she might not know, pulled Yu Nian’s sleeve and showed her her phone, the live stream of Heartthrob.

On the screen, Su Mingxiu stood at the door, looking surprised as Shao Chen handed her a white-wrapped box. Shao Chen, her gold-rimmed glasses accentuating her aloof demeanor, said: “I just finished a case, and the client gave me a gift. It’s not really my style, but I think you might like it.”

Not seeing the logo, Su Mingxiu accepted the gift politely, intending to reciprocate later.

But when she returned to her room and opened the box, she saw the familiar orange color and the iconic brand name:

HERMES.

Su Mingxiu: “…”

The live stream chat was filled with comments like [Rich lady, look at me! QAQ], [ShaoSu is rising!], [Who could resist that?]

Dong Lin, seeing Yu Nian’s white knuckles as she gripped her phone, wanted to tell her to calm down. She didn’t know what was going on between Yu Nian and Su Mingxiu, but judging from Yu Nian’s reaction, she clearly hadn’t known about the show. Worried, she said softly: “Niannian, this is my phone…”

“Thud!” Yu Nian slammed the phone on the table, her expression blank, then pushed it back to Dong Lin, muttering “I know,” but the coldness in her eyes made everyone feel like they had fallen into an ice cellar.

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.

Chapter 134: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (9)

Yu Nian stared at Su Mingxiu, then chuckled softly and returned to her room.

Su Mingxiu, swirling the water in her glass, guessed something from Yu Nian’s expression and smiled faintly, a hint of helplessness in her eyes.

She had intended to avoid romantic topics with Yu Nian recently. But a few weekends later, she received a bouquet of beautiful, unopened water lilies, their fragrance intoxicating.

She searched for a card, finding none, and asked the delivery person: “Are you sure this is for me?”

“Xiangjiang Huafu, Building 9, Apartment 808, Su Mingxiu, is that correct?”

It was.

After checking the bouquet, she signed the receipt and turned around, bumping into Yu Nian, who had come out of her room.

“Received flowers?”

“You sent them?” Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, then, seeing Yu Nian’s expression, guessed the answer.

Yu Nian nodded. “Didn’t you say you liked lotuses?”

Su Mingxiu had thought Yu Nian hadn’t heard the rest of the flowers she had mentioned. Now, receiving this gift, she instinctively checked the date—

Oh, it’s Mother’s Day.

She smiled at Yu Nian. “I love them, thank you for the gift.”

Yu Nian, watching her hold the water lilies, returned to her room without a word. She was now even more determined to study in the country. Only here could she obtain what she desired.

Su Mingxiu watched her leave, breathing a sigh of relief. She had been prepared for Yu Nian to make a fuss, to bring up other matters, but Yu Nian had said nothing, making her see the girl in a new light.

It was as if those fleeting moments of unspoken intimacy had been Su Mingxiu’s imagination.

But as a seasoned player in the game of love, she knew that young love was often stubborn and intense, like the summer sun, burning brightly but briefly if released too quickly.

But if hidden, suppressed, the longer it simmered, the deeper the burn, like embers, seemingly extinguished, yet still scorching hot.

Thankfully, the college entrance exam was approaching.

Once Yu Nian went to university, entered the real world, these unspoken feelings, even if they lingered, would eventually fade with time.

Su Mingxiu thought.

May arrived, the weather growing hotter after the Labor Day holiday.

As the college entrance exam approached, the pressure on the students eased, the school’s discipline relaxing, even allowing students to take leave to study at home.

Yu Wanru, seeing that Yu Nian hadn’t sent out her recommendation letters or transcripts, realized that she was determined to apply to domestic universities.

As a parent, she still wanted her child to succeed. In the last half month, she sent Yu Nian messages, urging her to come home and study, even hiring a tutor to help her.

But Yu Nian didn’t accept her offer, sticking to her own schedule, doing practice exams and reviewing at school, preparing for the exam at her own pace.

The days flew by, and amidst the anxiety of countless students and parents, June arrived.

The day before the exam, Yu Nian still chose to stay at school, following her usual routine. But while studying in the classroom at night, she called Su Mingxiu.

“I have my exam tomorrow, have you thought about the celebratory menu?”

“Manhan Quanxi is really not an option.” The person on the other end of the phone was arranging the fresh flowers in a vase, a gift from Yu Nian that had started on Mother’s Day and continued until now. Water lilies, bowl lotuses, Chinese roses, roses… a different variety every day.

Su Mingxiu even wondered if the little one had spent all her allowance on these flowers.

Yu Nian chuckled, surprisingly not arguing with her. “Anything you make is fine—oh, no raw food, I refuse raw salads too.”

Whenever they argued, Su Mingxiu would always serve her raw dishes, from seafood to salads. Yu Nian felt like she had seen all the dishes she hated most in her life on Su Mingxiu’s dining table.

“Don’t you have to go back to the Yu residence after the exam?”

“Whether I go back or not, your celebratory meal is a must.”

“Okay,” Su Mingxiu, having just finished trimming the flowers, changed the subject. “How many days did you order these flowers for? I’m running out of vases.”

“Until my exam is over,” Yu Nian replied.

Touched by this filial child’s Mother’s Day gift, Su Mingxiu asked: “Other kids have their parents accompanying them for the exam, does our Yu Nian need this service?”

“I want to, but… no,” the reply surprised Su Mingxiu.

She looked up and saw her reflection in the living room window, dressed in a gold-embroidered cheongsam. She frowned slightly. “Why?”

“The weather forecast says it will be sunny these next few days, over 30 degrees Celsius, scorching hot. You shouldn’t suffer like that.”

She truly wanted Su Mingxiu to accompany her, the thought even making her heart race.

But in the end, she remembered Su Mingxiu’s meticulous bathing rituals and the expensive skincare products on her vanity table. She couldn’t bear the thought of Su Mingxiu waiting outside in the heat with the other parents.

“Oh, since when did you become so considerate?”

Su Mingxiu’s voice was filled with surprise.

“Not everyone can make me feel this way,” Yu Nian mumbled softly, then quickly retracted her unintentional confession, her voice returning to its usual coldness. “I need to study now, see you in a few days.”

“Okay,” Su Mingxiu, knowing that the college entrance exam was the most important thing right now, played along, pretending not to have heard her words. “I wish you success, may you achieve the results you desire.”

The afternoon of June 8th.

Su Mingxiu still drove to Yu Nian’s school. Her red Ferrari, adorned with a banner that read “Wishing Yu Nian victory! May you answer all the questions correctly, and guess all the right answers!”, attracted the attention of other parents.

As the final bell rang, more and more students emerged from the school, some dragging suitcases, others carrying stacks of books, their faces beaming as they greeted their families.

Before the results were released, there were no unhappy students.

Yu Nian didn’t have many belongings at school, and she had finished the exam early. So she was among the first to come out. Seeing the familiar car at the school gates, she paused, then walked towards it, pulling her suitcase. She raised her chin at Su Mingxiu. “Guess all the right answers? What do you take me for? There are no questions that require guessing.”

Su Mingxiu, taking off her sunglasses, also looked at the banner. “Really? Should I cross out the second half?”

Yu Nian smiled, her eyes crinkling. She was clearly in a good mood today. Seeing that Su Mingxiu was actually looking for a pen to cross out the words, she stopped her. “Forget it, it’s fine like this.”

She got into the car, put her suitcase in the back, and fastened her seatbelt. As Su Mingxiu also got in, she said casually:

“It’s my birthday today.”

Su Mingxiu paused, her hand on the car door. The original owner’s memories didn’t include such details.

So she didn’t know when Yu Nian’s birthday was. She had even assumed that Yu Nian was already an adult during her conversation with Yu Wanru.

“Happy birthday,” she said, reaching for her phone. Although she had carefully planned the meal, she hadn’t expected this. “What kind of fruit do you like?”

She needed to order a cake.

Yu Nian, who had been so well-behaved just moments ago, stared at her. “I’ve been living with you for months, and you don’t know what kind of fruit I like?”

Su Mingxiu raised an eyebrow, about to reply, when an unfamiliar ringtone came from Yu Nian’s phone.

Yu Nian looked at her, then, remembering that she had finally changed her ringtone after the exam, she took out her phone, her expression changing as she saw the caller ID. She answered, her voice slightly lower.

“Mom.”

“Finished your exam? I’ve sent you an address. It’s your birthday today. I’ve booked a banquet, and I’ve also arranged your summer internship at the company. There are a few people you need to meet, you have one hour, don’t be late.”

Yu Wanru’s words were so rapid-fire that there was no chance to interrupt. By the time Yu Nian wanted to speak, Yu Wanru had already hung up, seemingly oblivious to how unreasonable her demands were.

The car’s interior was small, and they were sitting close together, so Su Mingxiu had clearly heard the conversation. As Yu Nian looked at her, she smiled reassuringly.

“It’s okay, I can put the groceries in the fridge, they’ll keep for a few days—”

“Do you want me to drive you there?”

The girl in her school uniform, a shadow in her light-colored eyes, seemed reluctant to show Su Mingxiu her helplessness before Yu Wanru. But her rationality prevailed, a voice in her mind reminding her that being impulsive now would only cause trouble.

After a long silence, Yu Nian finally lowered her eyes and asked seriously: “Will you wait for me?”

Wait for me to have this dinner.

And give me enough time to grow, to gain the strength to defy her arrangements, and… to be able to stand before you as an equal and pursue you.

“Of course,” Su Mingxiu replied.

She drove Yu Nian to the address Yu Wanru had sent, a luxurious five-star hotel. After watching Yu Nian leave, just as she was about to drive home, she received a call from Sheng Qian.

“Sis, interested in a high-paying variety show?”

Su Mingxiu leaned back in her seat, her arm resting on the window, casually fixing her wind-blown hair in the rearview mirror. “Variety show? I’m not a celebrity, how can I participate?”

“An amateur dating show! A friend of mine is looking for beautiful single people. Payment is guaranteed, you just have to live there, the persona is simple, much easier than acting—just think of it as a paid vacation, once it’s over, you get paid and leave. Interested?”

Su Mingxiu was indeed intrigued. She asked about the payment, then fell silent.

—It was… a lot of money.

Sheng Qian knew that this would tempt her. He added: “The sponsor is Wanda Group, even the villas where the guests will be staying are sponsored by them, a new development project, designed by a famous architect, very nice environment…”

Then, remembering Su Mingxiu’s past with the CEO of Wanda, he changed the subject: “Of course, you’ve seen it all, living in a villa isn’t a big deal for you. Anyway, as long as we don’t mention the past, just play the role of a beautiful, quiet extra, easy money, isn’t that great?”

It was.

Su Mingxiu admitted that the original owner’s materialistic heart was tempted. She asked: “When does the filming start?”

Chapter 133: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (8)

After returning from the supermarket, Yu Nian didn’t speak to Su Mingxiu, her displeasure evident, waiting for Su Mingxiu to coax her.

But Yu Nian’s sulking was also… interesting. She still helped with chores, but she wouldn’t respond if spoken to.

Her icy expression seemed to say: I’m giving you a chance to apologize, so hurry up.

“Come here,” Su Mingxiu said, having received no response to her questions about school. She put down her knife and gestured to Yu Nian.

Yu Nian had been reluctant, but seeing the prepared fish, she walked over, ready to help.

Suddenly, Su Mingxiu grabbed a carton of milk and held it against Yu Nian’s cheek. Yu Nian instinctively tried to dodge, but it was too late.

“Hmm?” She reached for the milk, but Su Mingxiu didn’t let go, looking at her with amusement. “With your cold expression, holding this milk against your face is like refrigeration.”

Yu Nian: “…”

Seeing her expression darken, Su Mingxiu chuckled. Knowing Yu Nian was angry, she continued to tease her, until Yu Nian finally snapped, yelling: “Su Mingxiu!”

“So disrespectful,” Su Mingxiu, still smiling, reprimanded her lightly, then asked good-naturedly, “What is it?”

Yu Nian angrily placed the milk carton on the table and stormed out of the kitchen, slamming the door behind her, making Su Mingxiu call out:

“You break it, you pay for it!”

After chasing the child away, Su Mingxiu placed the fish in the steamer and heard her phone ring. The caller ID, “Heartless Woman,” made her raise an eyebrow. She didn’t know who this was, another one of the original owner’s lovers perhaps? She hesitantly answered. A familiar voice: “Is Niannian with you?”

Oh, it’s the mother-in-law.

Su Mingxiu relaxed, covered the steamer, and turned on the heat. “Yes.”

A cold laugh came from the other end, followed by Yu Wanru’s sarcastic voice: “I knew you were shameless, but I didn’t know you were this desperate for money, Su Mingxiu. I underestimated you.”

Su Mingxiu, bewildered by the accusations, looked at her phone. “Ms. Yu, I’m recording this conversation. Please be mindful of your words, or I’ll sue you for slander.”

Yu Wanru was silent for a moment, as if having swallowed a lengthy tirade. Finally, she said: “Give me your address, I’ll have someone pick her up.”

“Yu Nian is eighteen, she can decide where she wants to stay,” Su Mingxiu replied, watching the steam rise from the steamer.

Yu Wanru seemed surprised by her defiance. Then came the familiar sarcasm: “Su Mingxiu, no matter how much you try to please her, our marriage is over. You’ll never step foot in the Yu residence again, give up.”

“Hmm?” Su Mingxiu wondered why Yu Wanru was so confident.

Seeing her silence, Yu Wanru, thinking she had guessed correctly, continued even more aggressively: “Su Mingxiu, don’t let me find out that you’re restricting Niannian’s freedom, or trying to extort money from me by harming her.”

“Finished? I’m hanging up, the food’s burning.”

Su Mingxiu had initially thought that Yu Wanru had guessed the system’s mission and was trying to guilt-trip her. But after listening to her narcissistic rant, she lost interest.

After finishing cooking, she knocked on Yu Nian’s door. “Dinner’s ready.”

Yu Nian hesitated, thinking that if she went too quickly, Su Mingxiu would think she wasn’t angry anymore. But if she took too long, what if Su Mingxiu assumed she wasn’t eating?

Her internal monologue was complex, her timing perfect as she opened the door, her expression carefully controlled, one side showing anger, the other a hint of expectation.

But Su Mingxiu spoke first: “Your mom just called. She doesn’t know you’re here. Call her back later.”

Yu Nian’s expression froze. “Oh,” she replied faintly.

Su Mingxiu, thinking she had conveyed the message clearly, turned to leave. Yu Nian quickly grabbed her shoulder. “Wait.”

Su Mingxiu turned around, her long, thick eyelashes casting shadows, her eyes sparkling with a myriad of emotions as she looked at Yu Nian.

She waited silently, wondering what else Yu Nian wanted.

But the girl remained silent. Only when Su Mingxiu shrugged off her hand and started to leave did Yu Nian finally speak.

“Aren’t you going to explain what I asked you earlier?”

Su Mingxiu, remembering the question, smiled faintly and said meaningfully: “Yu Nian—”

“You’re supposed to be my daughter, not my girlfriend, why are you so nosy?”

For some reason, hearing Su Mingxiu’s hypothetical question, Yu Nian’s heart skipped a beat, a sudden pang of anxiety.

But she replied instinctively: “Because I don’t want a random stranger as my father. Besides… even if you find a new partner every day, at least let me know who they are, so I can recognize them.”

Su Mingxiu was almost convinced by her words.

She looked at the girl intently, then said slowly, as if persuaded: “Don’t worry, I won’t give you a chance to call anyone else ‘Dad’ for now. Can we have dinner now?”

Yu Nian followed her to the dining table, then suddenly asked: “So, who called you ‘Susu’?”

“Are you still on about this?”

Su Mingxiu looked at her, surprised by her persistence.

Under her insistent gaze, Su Mingxiu sighed. “Someone you don’t know.”

“Someone I can meet in the future?”

“Not in this world.”

This finally silenced Yu Nian. She hadn’t expected such an answer. Her expression turned blank, then, after a moment, she touched her nose awkwardly and apologized. “Sorry, I…”

“It’s okay,” Su Mingxiu replied quickly, her expression calm and unreadable.

Yu Nian picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of grouper, and, just as she was about to eat it, praised Su Mingxiu’s cooking, saying it was even better than five-star restaurants.

Su Mingxiu, amused by her exaggerated praise, chuckled and told her to eat.

After dinner, Yu Nian cleared the table, did some homework, then remembered to call Yu Wanru.

She reported her weekend stay at Su Mingxiu’s place in a cold, business-like tone.

But Yu Wanru clearly thought that associating with someone like Su Mingxiu was degrading. She ordered Yu Nian to come home every weekend.

“Being near her is degrading?”

“Then you’ve been degrading yourself for years, and you won’t even let me experience it?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Yu Wanru sensed something unusual in her tone. But perhaps the implication was too absurd, she couldn’t respond, her voice losing its usual sharpness.

Yu Nian, also regretting her impulsive words, quickly said: “Nothing, I just mean you’re prejudiced against Little Mom, she’s not… completely useless.”

“I don’t need you to tell me how to judge people—”

“Anyway, your life is your own, Yu Nian. If you don’t get into a top two university this year, and you miss the opportunity to apply to overseas universities, be prepared to repeat the year.”

Yu Wanru issued her cold warning and hung up.

Yu Nian crumpled the draft paper she had been working on and, reaching for a new one in her backpack, accidentally spilled a pile of envelopes. She picked them up, looking at them, not even remembering who they were from, then gathered them, intending to throw them in the living room trash can.

Su Mingxiu, getting water in the living room, saw the envelopes and teased: “Love letters?”

Yu Nian simply hummed in agreement and threw them away.

“Seems like you don’t like any of them,” Su Mingxiu commented, watching her actions. She took a sip of hot water, the warmth spreading through her.

Putting down her cup, about to return to her room, she noticed that Yu Nian was still standing by the trash can, her arms crossed, looking at her.

Su Mingxiu: “?”

Yu Nian’s eyes lowered slightly, her tone almost a reminder. “Shouldn’t you ask what kind of person I like now?”

“Uh…” Su Mingxiu sensed something in her casual tone and chuckled softly, looking at her strangely.

“What kind of person you like—”

She said, “has nothing to do with me.”