Category: Green Tea Villainess Fails

Chapter 21

【This is scary! This female lead is truly terrifying! As expected of a demon king-level character, she easily guessed that there’s someone behind you teaching you those things. It seems I need to be more careful.】

Zuo Bian countered 555 in her mind, ‘But it’s easy to guess, isn’t it? My mind wasn’t working well before, and suddenly I know so many cheesy lines. Any normal person would think I learned them from somewhere.’

555: …

【I see that you do have a lot of cheesy lines now, I’m almost dying from your cheesiness. Why don’t you try on Pinru’s clothes?】(referring to the mistress in a popular drama who wore the wife’s clothes)- like A mistress taking over the wife’s possessions or role

‘If we want excitement, we should go all the way?’ Zuo Bian tentatively finished the sentence.

555 felt conflicted, unsure whether it was a good or bad idea to let the host access the internet. Its initial intention was to let Zuo Bian surf the web more and become a “bad woman,” but it felt like she was going astray.

True to her name, she was leaning towards the left, but never in the right direction.

Zuo Bian and Qin Ai strolled through the Chang family garden, passing through flowerbeds and finally arriving at a pond.

It was a full moon tonight, and the bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a cool glow.

The clear water reflected the bright moon, and fish swam to the surface, leaving ripples that shattered the silver moonlight.

Zuo Bian leaned against the railing, looking up at the night sky. “The moon is so beautiful tonight*.”

Qin Ai’s eyes flickered, but she was looking at Zuo Bian’s profile. “It is beautiful.”

Zuo Bian looked away from the night sky and asked with a smile, “Qin Ai, what are your hobbies? I heard from Xiao Tian that you used to be very good at video games. Do you still play?”

“Not anymore, I don’t have time.” Qin Ai rested her left hand on the railing, the moonlight reflected on the water illuminating her stunning face.

Zuo Bian sensed a hint of loneliness from Qin Ai. She tilted her head in confusion. “But are you really that busy now?”

Qin Ai’s expression faltered for a moment, her voice low. “Actually, I’m not that busy.”

At first, she was very busy, so busy that she wished she had three heads and six arms, wishing she could be in multiple places at once. After everything was on track, she could have taken a step back from work, but she seemed to be punishing herself, escaping from something, immersing herself in endless busyness.

Her life had become all about work, all about Qin Group, leaving no space for herself.

“If you’re not that busy, you can find something you want to do. What are your hobbies? If you don’t know, you can try everything like me, and then you’ll know what you truly like.”

Qin Ai said, “Hobbies… It’s been too long, I can’t remember.”

“If you can’t remember, then find new ones.”

Zuo Bian’s words were so matter-of-fact, as if it should be that way. And it was—it should be that way.

“Mm, you’re right. Do you like piano? I can play for you next time.”

“You can play the piano? I want to hear it! You must look beautiful playing the piano.” Zuo Bian looked at Qin Ai with sparkling eyes.

“It’s been a long time since I last played. It might not sound good.” Although she said that, Qin Ai’s eyes were filled with a hint of amusement.

Zuo Bian smiled. “It’s already impressive that you can play the piano. I tried playing the piano at home before, but I couldn’t understand anything. My parents and brother still complimented me insincerely. Besides not being able to play the piano, I have no musical talent, I can’t sing well either.”

“I want to hear it.”

Zuo Bian quickly shook her head. “I told you it doesn’t sound good, I’m too embarrassed to sing.”

Qin Ai turned sideways, resting her elbow on the railing, her long, jade-like fingers against her cheek. “Didn’t you say we should reciprocate? I’ll play the piano for you, and you sing for me.”

Zuo Bian frowned in distress, but she felt that Qin Ai was right.

“Okay, I’ll sing, but don’t laugh at me.”

“Okay.” Qin Ai was already smiling.

Zuo Bian took a deep breath, facing the water. She slowly opened her mouth and sang, “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are…”

Zuo Bian accidentally kicked a pebble into the pond, shattering the reflection of the moon and startling the fireflies hiding by the shore. Tiny lights flickered and danced, truly resembling a sky full of stars falling to earth.

Zuo Bian continued singing, her gaze fixed on the flying fireflies.

“The sun goes down slowly in the west, crows fly home in flocks, stars blink their little eyes…”

Her pitch was mostly accurate, and it was evident that her technique was still immature, but her voice was clear and pleasant to listen to.

In Zuo Bian’s eyes, the fireflies dancing around were stars on the ground. But in Qin Ai’s eyes, Zuo Bian was the star that had entered her world.

A star that seemed to burn eternally, constantly emitting light and heat, trying to illuminate her world.

After finishing the last line, Zuo Bian turned to Qin Ai and asked nervously, “How was it? Was it bad?”

“Not bad.” Qin Ai replied.

Hearing this evaluation, Zuo Bian beamed. “That’s great, I thought it would sound terrible.”

“It wasn’t bad.” Qin Ai shook her head slightly.

Zuo Bian’s face suddenly flushed red. She whispered to Qin Ai, “I need to use the restroom.”

“Mm.”

Zuo Bian lowered her head and hurried away, thinking to herself that she shouldn’t have drunk so many drinks before coming.

Actually, 555 had reminded her, but Zuo Yuan had said that Xiao Bian could drink as much as she wanted, and if it wasn’t enough, he could buy more. So Zuo Bian couldn’t resist the temptation and drank three boxes of Wangzai milk and two bottles of Wanglaoji herbal tea.

It seemed that excessive pampering from family members was also not a good thing. Zuo Bian felt a little sad.

With 555’s guidance, Zuo Bian easily found the restroom. After finishing her business, she walked out with light steps.

‘555, I should have listened to you and not drunk so many drinks.’

Zuo Bian chatted with 555 in her mind while walking back, following her memory.

【It seems that your most reliable teammate is still me. As the system assisting you in completing the mission, I suddenly feel a heavy burden on my shoulders. Hmm? It seems like there’s some plot fluctuation happening on the female lead’s side. Host, hurry back.】

Zuo Bian quickened her pace, even breaking into a run. The dress she was wearing restricted her movements, slowing her down.

Zuo Bian barely arrived in time to see the moment when Qin Ai and Hu Miaofu fell into the water together from the broken railing. With a splash, water sprayed up, attracting the attention of others nearby.

Zuo Yuan, who had finally escaped from Old Master Chang, and Chang Wenyan, who was anxiously searching for Zuo Bian and Qin Ai, appeared. Zuo Yuan grabbed Zuo Bian, who was about to jump into the water to save them, while Chang Wenyan quickly took off his jacket and jumped in.

Both Hu Miaofu and Qin Ai were dressed in white, so Chang Wenyan couldn’t tell who was Qin Ai. Hu Miaofu was struggling violently, making Chang Wenyan subconsciously swim towards her.

Qin Ai, who knew how to swim, had already reached the edge of the pond. Zuo Bian extended her hand towards her, and Qin Ai grabbed it, pulling herself ashore.

“Qin Ai, are you okay? How did you fall in?” Zuo Bian saw that Qin Ai’s white clothes were starting to become transparent, and she remembered there were men present.

Zuo Bian anxiously looked around, her gaze landing on her brother, Zuo Yuan.

“Brother, lend me your jacket.” Without waiting for Zuo Yuan’s reply, Zuo Bian pulled the jacket off his shoulders and draped it over Qin Ai.

Zuo Bian sighed in relief. “Qin Ai, you should be warmer now, right?”

Qin Ai wrapped the jacket around herself, her body starting to warm up. “Thank you for the jacket.”

“You’re welcome, it’s what I should do.”

Zuo Yuan, who had been robbed of both his jacket and his sister: ??? Do you think I’m invisible?

******

Author’s Note:

“The moon is so beautiful tonight” is also a “meme phrase”, but our Xiao Bian is blissfully unaware of this fact.

T/N: I didn’t catch that until I read the author’s note 😂 After searching online, I discovered that “The moon is beautiful tonight” means “I love you” , using a poetic phrase to express a romantic sentiment.

Chapter 20

“It seems like all the love and care I’ve given you hasn’t been in vain. Xiao Bian, you can tell your brother anything you want, anything you want to do, and I’ll make it happen for you.”

Zuo Bian didn’t have anything she particularly wanted, she just thanked her brother.

At that moment, the lights in the hall dimmed, and the host invited Chang Wenyan and his grandfather to the stage. Everyone applauded politely.

Zuo Bian didn’t pay much attention to what Chang Wenyan was saying. She only heard 555 chattering in her mind.

【Host, what if you pretend to twist your ankle and fall into the female lead’s arms? It’s dark now, no one will be able to see clearly. It should be easy for you to fake it.】

‘Okay, I’ll try.’

【I’ll help you find the right angle. Yes, turn a little to the right, that’s the angle, now fall!】

Zuo Bian relaxed her body and fell towards Qin Ai like a soft cloud.

Qin Ai had been paying attention to Zuo Bian, so the moment Zuo Bian fell towards her, she instinctively caught her.

Qin Ai’s slender, jade-like hand rested on Zuo Bian’s delicate waist. Zuo Bian leaned back slightly, half-resting in Qin Ai’s arms. A spotlight shone down, illuminating the two of them.

“Let’s see which lucky couple will be our Ball Stars!” The host’s voice echoed through the hall, and everyone’s gaze followed the spotlight.

At that moment, Zuo Bian and Qin Ai became the most dazzling pair at the usually mundane banquet. One was beautiful, pure, and innocent, while the other was alluring, cold, and elegant.

Although both were women, they looked incredibly harmonious together, as if they were destined to be a pair.

“It seems like it’s two beautiful ladies. Please, ladies, step onto the dance floor. You will be the stars of this ball.” The host continued speaking with a smile, completely oblivious to the fact that Chang Wenyan’s face beside him had darkened considerably.

Chang Wenyan looked at Qin Ai and Zuo Bian standing together, wishing he could be in Zuo Bian’s place. But he couldn’t do anything. His grandfather was right beside him, and there were so many people present. So Chang Wenyan could only watch helplessly as Qin Ai and Zuo Bian danced on the dance floor.

Melodious music flowed through the hall, and as Qin Ai and Zuo Bian danced, other couples, both male-female, male-male, and female-female, also stepped onto the dance floor.

Zuo Bian moved her feet clumsily, afraid of accidentally stepping on Qin Ai.

Qin Ai’s hand rested on her lower back. Her fingertips were cool, but her palm was burning hot as if it contained a fire that wanted to seep through the thin fabric of Zuo Bian’s dress and burn her to ashes.

Zuo Bian’s clear eyes gazed at Qin Ai’s face. She pursed her lips. Although she had been very careful, she still left a mark on Qin Ai’s white shoes.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Zuo Bian whispered.

“Mm, I know.”

“I really like your gift. Can I treat you to dinner?” The second half of the sentence was taught to Zuo Bian by 555. Reciprocating gifts, treating someone to dinner after they give you a gift, these were opportunities to meet again.

Qin Ai met Zuo Bian’s gaze. “Okay, but who taught you these things?”

Asking for dinner, asking for phone numbers, saying strange things.

“It was…” Zuo Bian was about to answer when 555 interrupted her.

【Host! Don’t! Don’t expose me! Just say you saw it online.】

Zuo Bian swallowed her unfinished words. “I saw it online. It said that if you want to be with someone, you should reciprocate gifts. If someone gives you a gift, you should treat them to dinner. That way, you’ll have more chances to meet.”

“Want to be with someone?” Qin Ai’s voice was a bit low, carrying an inexplicable hint of intimacy in the dimly lit dance floor.

Zuo Bian didn’t notice anything amiss and nodded earnestly. “Mm, yes.”

“But you said you like your brother very much.” Qin Ai spun Zuo Bian away, forcing her to turn a circle before returning to her side.

Zuo Bian was always sensitive to subtle changes in other people’s emotions. She could feel that Qin Ai was in a bad mood. Why? Did she say something wrong?

【Host!】555 almost screamed.

【You praised your brother too much, Qin Ai is jealous! Quickly clarify!】

Zuo Bian understood and immediately said, “Although my brother is good, I like you more.”

Qin Ai’s expression softened, and the corner of her lips curved up slightly. “If you want to see me, you can come to Qin Group or the Qin residence directly. No one will stop you.”

【Congratulations, Host, the progress is now 13.5%!】

“Mm-hmm.” Zuo Bian’s eyes curved into happy crescents, sparkling as if filled with stars.

Zuo Bian couldn’t tell if she was happy because the progress bar was increasing or because Qin Ai said she could visit her anytime, or maybe it was both.

The dance ended, and Qin Ai released her hand from Zuo Bian’s waist.

“Don’t you find this banquet boring?” Qin Ai didn’t even want to spare a glance for the people around them.

All sorts of banquets, parties, and social gatherings bored and annoyed Qin Ai.

“There’s a garden here, let’s go for a walk.” Zuo Bian suggested.

Qin Ai tilted her head slightly, glancing at the man behind her from the corner of her eye, a smile playing on her lips.

To Zuo Yuan, that smile was a blatant provocation! He glared at Qin Ai as if she were his sworn enemy, especially when he saw the hand that had just been around Zuo Bian’s waist. His eyes seemed to shoot lasers.

In Zuo Yuan’s eyes, anyone who got close to his sister, except for their family, was a scumbag!

Just as Zuo Yuan was about to follow them and separate Zuo Bian from Qin Ai, CEO Wang, dressed in red, blocked his way, saying he wanted to discuss the development of the land in the south of the city.

Zuo Yuan wanted to storm off, but then Old Master Chang, Chang Wenyan’s grandfather, came over to greet him. He could only watch helplessly as Zuo Bian and Qin Ai disappeared through the door.

Don’t think he couldn’t see it, this Qin Ai definitely had ulterior motives towards his sister!

Meanwhile, Zuo Bian and Qin Ai were walking along the path in the Chang family garden. Because the Chang family members were talking, everyone was gathered in the hall, leaving the garden empty except for Zuo Bian and Qin Ai.

The chirping of crickets could be heard from the bushes, a relentless and unceasing sound.

Zuo Bian told Qin Ai about what had happened in the garden earlier. When she mentioned what she had said to Hu Miaofu about compensating for damaging someone else’s property, Qin Ai suddenly laughed.

It wasn’t a sneer or a mocking laugh, but a genuine and hearty laugh.

When Qin Ai wasn’t smiling, she was cold and aloof, keeping everyone at a distance. Although she didn’t smile much, it allowed people to see a different side of her.

Lively, vibrant, and so beautiful that it was hard to look away.

Zuo Bian stared at Qin Ai’s face, mumbling like a lovestruck fool, “You’re so beautiful.”

“Next time you encounter something like this, just act like you did today. The person who taught you those things, they didn’t teach you wrong.” Qin Ai stopped laughing, her expression returning to its usual calmness, but Zuo Bian could feel that her mood had improved a bit.

Chapter 19

The Zuo family, being influential and wealthy, was naturally a distinguished guest at the Chang family banquet, personally welcomed by both Chang Wenyan and Chang Wensi.

This time, Chang Wenyan didn’t glare at Zuo Bian like before. He wore a polite and gentle smile, as if he was meeting her for the first time.

Zuo Bian, however, took a few more glances at Chang Wenyan, thinking to herself:

‘555, Chang Wenyan’s eyes seem to be healed. Before, he kept staring at me like his eyes were broken.’

【Maybe he found a good doctor. But the male lead is nothing to worry about, Host. You need to be careful of Hu Miaofu, who will be attending today.】

Zuo Bian followed Zuo Yuan into the Chang family’s grand hall. Bright lights shone down from the ceiling, illuminating the opulent space. Guests in elegant attire and gentlemen in suits mingled around long tables laden with delicacies and flowers. In the center of the hall, a champagne tower stood tall, with a man and a woman standing before it.

Zuo Bian focused her gaze and saw that the woman was Hu Miaofu, while the man was unfamiliar.

‘Why should I be careful of Hu Miaofu? Shouldn’t the male lead pose a greater threat?’

【Oh, Chang Wenyan’s threat level is only 5.】 In other words, he was a weakling, the weakest of the weak, posing no challenge at all.

555 now regretted its choice. Back then, when it was selecting a “male lead,” it specifically chose someone who was easy to deal with, a simpleton. Now it was looking down on him.

‘Then what’s Hu Miaofu’s threat level?’ Zuo Bian asked.

【She’s formidable, a 55!】

Zuo Bian furrowed her brows in confusion. “But 55 is a failing grade.”

【Well, it’s all relative. Think about it, the male lead who is your rival in love only has a threat level of 5, but Hu Miaofu, a supporting character, has a fighting power that’s 11 times that of the male lead. Isn’t that significant?】

Zuo Bian was successfully persuaded by 555 and felt that its words made perfect sense.

‘Mm, you’re right. I’ll be on high alert.’

【I believe in you! Host, you’re a woman who can now skillfully wield the Green Tea Handbook!】

‘Mm-hmm!’

Zuo Bian scanned the venue, but after looking around, she couldn’t find Qin Ai.

Could it be that Qin Ai didn’t come today? Zuo Bian pursed her lips and walked through the hall towards the garden behind it.

Instead of encountering Qin Ai, Zuo Bian ran into Chang Wensi and Hu Miaofu.

Chang Wensi was wearing a red dress today, her long, wavy hair cascading down her back. With her dark eyebrows and red lips, her appearance matched her fiery and impulsive personality.

Something must have happened, as Hu Miaofu had provoked Chang Wensi and was now cornered by her.

Hu Miaofu was wearing a pure white dress. She naturally had a delicate and innocent appearance, and her teary-eyed look evoked sympathy from those who saw her.

This was Hu Miaofu’s most effective tactic. No matter what happened, as long as she placed herself in the position of the victim, someone would always sympathize with her first.

Chang Wensi always had a bad temper, and with Hu Miaofu looking so pitiful, the people around them began to whisper, most of them siding with Hu Miaofu.

“Miss Hu, if you stepped on my dress and ruined it, you could have just apologized. Why are you putting on this act?” Chang Wensi said in a displeased tone, her face dark as thunder.

Zuo Bian took a look and saw that Chang Wensi’s fiery red dress indeed had a dirty stain and a torn corner.

Hu Miaofu lowered her head even further. “I’m sorry… I really didn’t do it on purpose. I’ll compensate you. Although I don’t have much money, I’ll work hard to earn it. I hope Miss Chang won’t be angry anymore.”

Hu Miaofu’s act only served to highlight Chang Wensi’s unreasonable behavior. Who among those present didn’t have money? It was just a dress, there was no need to make things so difficult for her.

However, the more Hu Miaofu acted like this, the angrier Chang Wensi became. She didn’t even know why she was so angry.

A socialite who usually disliked Chang Wensi spoke up sarcastically, “It’s just a dress, how could our Miss Chang possibly make things difficult for a little white flower over this?”

The words “little white flower” made Hu Miaofu’s face pale, but she still professionally maintained her pitiful act.

*White Lotus or Flower” (slang) – someone who appears innocent, kind, and harmless on the surface but actually causes trouble or stirs up drama, often under the guise of being clueless or unintentional.*

“Miss Chang probably doesn’t lack such a dress, but this lady is different.” A man spoke up for Hu Miaofu.

Chang Wensi snorted coldly, thinking to herself: You all think I’m being unreasonable, fine, I’ll show you unreasonable!

“But Miss Hu said she would compensate, right? It’s only right to compensate for damaging someone else’s property. I believe Miss Hu is definitely not the kind of person who would willingly owe someone else.” Zuo Bian’s clear voice rang out.

Hu Miaofu froze, her hand wiping away tears. She hadn’t actually planned to compensate.

Chang Wensi looked at Zuo Bian in surprise. Zuo Bian met her gaze calmly. Suddenly, 555 started yelling in her mind, and Zuo Bian turned to leave.

【Host, Host, I’ve detected the female lead. She’s in the hall now.】

‘Mm-hmm!’ Wanting to see Qin Ai as soon as possible, Zuo Bian held up her skirt and jogged out of the garden, leaving the drama behind.

Qin Ai stood tall and slender in a snow-white suit, her features sharp. She stood with Zuo Yuan, and although she was shorter than him, her aura was not in the least bit weaker, even seeming to overpower him.

“I heard that President Qin is young and promising, and recently secured another major project. I’d like to propose a toast to you.” Zuo Yuan raised his glass towards Qin Ai, his smile not reaching his eyes.

Qin Ai could also see that Zuo Yuan had a strong opinion about her, so she didn’t even bother with a perfunctory smile.

“President Zuo seems to have a lot of free time. I occasionally want to take a break, but I have too much work to do. I never get the chance to rest.” Qin Ai said as she took a small sip of wine, just a taste.

The corner of Zuo Yuan’s mouth twitched. “If President Qin wants to relax, I can help you.”

The major project Zuo Yuan mentioned was the one Qin Ai had snatched from him. This Qin Ai had stolen his sister’s heart and his project! If they really ended up together, he would definitely make things difficult for her!

“Qin Ai!”

A clear and delighted voice reached Qin Ai’s ears. She looked up, and a fairy-like girl entered her vision.

The girl was dressed in pure white, and perhaps because she was in a hurry, a faint blush had appeared on her beautiful face. Her eyes were like a lake reflecting a starry sky.

“I finally found you.” Zuo Bian stopped two meters away from Qin Ai.

Seeing that his sister only had eyes for Qin Ai, and he was completely ignored, Zuo Yuan wanted to scream in frustration.

“Mm, you’re a bit late.” Qin Ai said.

Zuo Bian finally spared a glance for her brother. “Brother, you’re here too.”

Facing Zuo Bian, Zuo Yuan’s smile became genuine. “Why are you in such a hurry, Xiao Bian? Are you eager to see your brother?”

He knew that she wasn’t there to see him, but to see the hateful Qin Ai beside him. Yet, Zuo Yuan still chose to deceive himself. He was going to pretend to be happy and then be slapped in the face.

However, to Zuo Yuan’s surprise, Zuo Bian actually said, “That’s right, I came to find you, Brother. Xiao Bian loves you very much, I miss you if I don’t see you for an hour. I feel like the luckiest sister in the world to have you as my brother.”

Zuo Yuan’s expression became smug as he listened, even glancing at Qin Ai provocatively.

Zuo Bian continued to praise him, feeling that she was doing a great job. Her brother was already completely smitten.

However, 555 felt a bit uneasy. It felt that Qin Ai’s expression was a bit off, but it didn’t dare to say anything. It seemed like the host had gone overboard with the praise.

Chapter 18

One a true Green Tea, the other a fake one, their words were almost identical, yet the feeling they conveyed was completely different.

Hu Miaofu oozed with manipulative intent, while Zuo Bian simply came across as naive.

Qin Ai received Zuo Bian’s message during a meeting, her phone resting beside her. As soon as the message arrived, the screen lit up. She glanced at the message, a smile gracing her lips.

She wondered who was the mastermind behind Zuo Bian, teaching her those words.

The project manager, who was presenting a new proposal, and the employees below seemed to be frozen in place, not daring to breathe.

President Qin, please don’t smile! It’s terrifying! Did they do something wrong? Did they make President Qin laugh in anger?

Qin Ai steepled her fingers in front of her chest, suppressing her slight smile. Her gaze swept across everyone, her red lips parting slightly. “Why have you all stopped?”

Seeing that Qin Ai was no longer smiling, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to themselves: That’s right, their President Qin was still the same cold-faced Yama (King of Hell).

================

【I feel like someone is talking bad about me.】

Zuo Bian opened a bag of cookies and munched on them. ‘555, sometimes I think you’re overthinking things.’

【Host, you’re not as cute as you used to be…】555 said with a hint of resentment.

Zuo Bian opened a bottle of Wanglaoji herbal tea and took a sip, sighing contentedly.

‘I’m an adult now, I don’t need to be cute.’

【5555555555…】

‘Why do you keep saying your own name?’

【I’m crying 5555555…】

‘Don’t cry, I believe someone must be talking bad about you behind your back. That bad guy will definitely choke on their food!’ Zuo Bian said indignantly.

【55555, Host, you’re so kind, you’re the cutest.】

‘No, it’s the cutest.’ Zuo Bian smiled, squeezing the little feet of the small white dumpling plushie.

‘I’m going to sleep with it tonight, it’s so cute!’

【Host, remember the Green Tea Handbook? Time to put it into action!】

Zuo Bian reluctantly put down the dumpling and picked up her phone, sending Qin Ai a message.

In the conference room, Qin Ai’s phone lit up again.

Zuo Bian: Thank you for the plushie, I’m going to hug it to sleep tonight like I’m hugging you.

Qin Ai’s eyes lit up with a smile, while the people around her felt their hearts sink.

President Qin, please don’t smile! Your smile makes us nervous!

It wasn’t that Qin Ai wasn’t beautiful or that her smile wasn’t pleasant. It was just that in everyone’s eyes, Qin Ai was a big boss, a demon king. Even if the demon king smiled, it wouldn’t be for anything good. It only made people wonder who was going to be unlucky.

Meanwhile, as soon as Zuo Bian sent the message, 555 started squealing excitedly.

【Oh my god, oh my god! Host, you’re a genius! I didn’t even have to prompt you, and you sent such a perfect message! It seems you’ve grasped the essence of being a Green Tea.】

‘That’s great!’

【This message seemingly expresses gratitude on the surface, but it’s actually a hint, leaving room for imagination. The progress bar has reached 12.1%, brilliant!】

‘I’ll work harder to study the Green Tea Handbook!’

【Go, go, go! You’re the best!】

In the days leading up to the banquet, Zuo Bian diligently filmed and reviewed the Green Tea Handbook every day, striving to fully grasp its contents.

Time flew by, and the day of the Chang family banquet finally arrived. Not only did Zuo Bian and Chang Wensi request leave, but Hu Miaofu also said she had something to do and asked for leave.

The director had become accustomed to people asking for leave, so he didn’t say anything and approved their requests.

Zuo Bian returned to the Zuo family home a day early, bringing the little dumpling plushie Qin Ai had given her. She had no resistance to cute plushies.

Tonight, Zuo Bian and her brother, Zuo Yuan, were attending the Chang family banquet. As the beloved little princess of the Zuo family, Zuo Bian’s appearance at the banquet naturally required a grand entrance.

Dozens of dresses were laid out in front of Zuo Bian, along with various expensive jewelry and accessories. Professional stylists and makeup artists were on standby, all serving Zuo Bian alone.

Zuo Bian didn’t feel anything special about this, but 555 was excited.

【Ahhh! These clothes are all so beautiful! Host, quickly choose one, I can already imagine you standing in front of Qin Ai, looking stunning. Qin Ai will definitely be captivated by your beauty!】

‘But Qin Ai is also very beautiful herself. If she wants to see a beautiful woman, she can just look in the mirror.’

Zuo Bian chatted with 555 in her mind while choosing a dress.

【Who would think their girlfriend is too beautiful? Besides, looking at yourself and looking at others is different. Host, what about that feather dress? I think it suits your temperament very well.】

Zuo Bian walked over to the feather dress that 555 mentioned. It was a pure white dress, and upon closer inspection, the cuffs and hem were embroidered with silver birds, and the shoulders and hem were adorned with soft, white feathers.

“I want this one.” Zuo Bian said to the stylist standing beside her.

The stylist smiled. “Miss Zuo, you have great taste. This pure white color complements your temperament perfectly.”

“I’ll try it on.”

After changing, Zuo Bian came out of the fitting room and looked at herself in the full-length mirror.

Zuo Bian had a pure and innocent aura, with clear eyes. She was most suitable for pure colors, and this flawless white looked perfect on her.

Her long hair cascaded down like a waterfall of silk, its texture excellent. The stylist simply curled a few strands of hair around her temples, carefully choosing a pearl hairpin to adorn her hair.

The makeup artist didn’t apply heavy makeup on Zuo Bian. Her eyebrows were lightly outlined, her delicate nose didn’t need any contouring or highlighting, and her lips were coated with a thin layer of cherry red lipstick.

For a beauty like Zuo Bian, adding too many elements would be superfluous. It was better to keep the decorations minimal and let her natural beauty shine through.

【Host, you’re so beautiful! Qin Ai will definitely fall for you!】

Zuo Bian smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She carefully touched the pearl hairpin on her head and couldn’t help but ask 555 if it was real.

【Of course it’s real, your family is rich.】

‘It feels so unreal. Not long ago, I was a poor cultivator in the immortal realm.’

【Host, wear a necklace too, that swan-shaped one looks good with your outfit.】

Zuo Bian put on the necklace inlaid with amethyst and diamonds, finally completing her look.

The car was already waiting outside, ready for Zuo Bian’s arrival.

Zuo Bian carefully held up her skirt and got into the car, her heart filled with anticipation for her meeting with Qin Ai.

“Our Xiao Bian is so beautiful today.” Zuo Yuan, who was already in the car, smiled.

Zuo Bian naturally returned the compliment. “Brother, you’re also very handsome today! You’re the most handsome man Xiao Bian has ever seen.”

“Hahaha! It seems Dad will be sad, in Xiao Bian’s heart, her brother is the most handsome.” Zuo Yuan, the siscon, was ecstatic from Zuo Bian’s “sweet words.”

Zuo Bian smiled, listening to 555’s voice in her mind.

【Keep going, keep going. When you see Qin Ai later, praise your brother relentlessly. That way he won’t have the energy to deal with Qin Ai. Perfect plan!】

Chapter 17

The drama of Chang Wensi deliberately picking on Zuo Bian and then getting angry herself played out almost every day, so much so that everyone had become accustomed to it.

On the other hand, Xu Ruisheng and his agent, Lü Deng, had a falling-out, which was surprising considering that they usually had a very good relationship. Everyone said that you couldn’t find a more harmonious artist-agent pair in the entire entertainment industry.

However, today Xu Ruisheng just had a big fight with Lü Deng and kept making mistakes and getting NGs during filming.(scene shot as “NG-No Good.”)

Director Chen tapped the rolled-up script in his palm, his brow furrowed as if he could crush a fly between them.

“Everyone, take a break. We’ll film this scene tomorrow.” Director Chen suppressed his anger. If Xu Ruisheng wasn’t a popular young actor, he would have already lost his temper.

Xu Ruisheng was also very irritated. He scratched his hair, snatched a bottle of water from his assistant, and drank it without his usual gentle and elegant demeanor.

The photo of Zuo Bian princess-carrying Xu Ruisheng didn’t actually lead to a large-scale loss of fans as Xu Ruisheng had imagined. Instead, it attracted a small wave of new fans. Lü Deng even suggested that they should capitalize on this opportunity to create a buzz, as a perfect persona could indeed become boring after a while.

But Xu Ruisheng didn’t want to do this. He felt extremely embarrassed being carried by a woman, and besides, he was already excellent and perfect. Why should he follow the example of other celebrities and use “small flaws” to close the distance between himself and his fans?

Just then, Zuo Bian had a question about a part of the plot that she didn’t quite understand. She took the script to find Director Chen and the screenwriter, and she happened to bump into Xu Ruisheng.

Xu Ruisheng glared at Zuo Bian with anger and stormed off.

Zuo Bian felt completely baffled. At that moment, she heard Director Chen say, “Nowadays, anyone can enter the entertainment industry and act. If there were more humble and eager-to-learn newcomers like Xiao Zuo, there wouldn’t be so many bad dramas!”

Director Chen had been in this industry for many years and understood the importance of popularity and compromise. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to let Xu Ruisheng play the male lead.

But now that Xu Ruisheng was already playing the role, replacing him midway would be a financial problem and would also offend the agency behind him, so he could only accept his bad luck.

The screenwriter patted Director Chen’s shoulder. “Director Chen, don’t worry too much. We can’t let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch. So I’ve cut the male lead’s scenes in half again.”

Director Chen’s face flushed with excitement. “Good job, Xiao Liu! We’ll edit it further in post-production and try our best to minimize the male lead’s presence! Xiao Zuo, you’re the only protagonist in this drama now. Act well, I believe you can definitely become popular!”

Before Zuo Bian could say anything, Director Chen and the screenwriter looked at her with expectant eyes, as if she was the hope of the entire village.

“I’ll do my best!” Zuo Bian clenched her fists, expressing her determination.

The screenwriter said, “There’s a scene I think we can change. How can the protagonist not be the one to save the day? The protagonist must be the one to shine!”

Director Chen nodded. “That’s right, let’s change it to the female lead saving the day.”

The props team said, “The female lead’s sword isn’t ‘immortal’ enough. A senior of mine has an ancestral sword at home. I’ll call him later and ask if he’s willing to lend it to us as a prop.”

The costume designer gave the props team a thumbs-up. “It’s rare for the investors to be so generous with the budget. We can add a few more outfits for the female lead. The Dragon and Phoenix team is quite good at making ancient costumes.”

Although Zuo Bian was a newcomer, she was beautiful, eager to learn, and didn’t cause trouble. Everyone liked her. The male lead, Xu Ruisheng, frequently asked for leave and often lost focus during his limited scenes. This drama definitely couldn’t go down the romantic and sweet route with the male and female leads. If they wanted it to be successful, they had to place their bets on the female lead.

【Host, don’t you feel like you’re the only college student from a poor mountain village, and the entire village is pooling their resources to support you?】

‘Everyone is so kind, I can’t let them down!’

Zuo Bian smiled and thanked everyone, not noticing Hu Miaofu staring at her with malice from afar.

Hu Miaofu’s heart was filled with jealousy and hatred, almost overflowing. She forced herself to look away.

Ding! Hu Miaofu’s phone beeped with a notification.

Hu Miaofu picked up her phone and replied to the message, 【Thank you, Young Master Lin, you’re so kind. But this is my first time attending a banquet, I’m so worried about making a fool of myself.】

The other side replied: Don’t worry, Xiao Fu, nothing will happen to you if you’re with me.

Hu Miaofu: But I don’t have any clothes for the banquet. I feel like I’m not worthy of standing by your side, Young Master Lin [sad emoji].

Young Master Lin: What’s the big deal? It’s just a dress, I’ll buy it for you!

Hu Miaofu: Thank you, Young Master Lin, you’re so good to me. It’s a pity I have nothing to repay you with.

“Xiao Zuo, you have a package!”

“Coming!” Zuo Bian ran to sign for the package. The people around her curiously asked what she had bought, as the package was quite large.

Zuo Bian hadn’t explored the world of online shopping yet and had never bought anything online, so she shook her head and said she didn’t know.

【Open it and see, I detect that the package was sent by Qin Ai.】

Zuo Bian opened the package, and the moment she saw what was inside, she smiled.

“It’s a little dumpling!” Zuo Bian happily held up the soft, white dumpling, squeezing it repeatedly.

Underneath the dumpling were some snacks and drinks, all things Zuo Bian had mentioned wanting to try during her chats with Qin Ai.

Zuo Bian excitedly took out her phone and prepared to send a message to Qin Ai. She typed a sentence according to the Green Tea Handbook.

Zuo Bian: You’re so good to me, I don’t know how to repay you.

Zuo Bian also sent a Caogenyantuanzi emoji, the same one as the plushie Qin Ai had sent her.

Chapter 16

The streetlights shone brightly, and Zuo Bian carefully walked along the curb. She suddenly turned around and asked Qin Ai, “Qin Ai, can I chat with you whenever I want?”

Under the light, Qin Ai’s usually indifferent face seemed to soften a bit. “Yes.”

“That’s great, I’ll chat with you often.” Zuo Bian’s beautiful eyes curved into crescents.

Qin Ai said, “I’ll take you back.”

“Mm-hmm, I feel a bit reluctant to part with you. I don’t know when we’ll meet again.” Zuo Bian kicked a small pebble with her toe.

The pebble rolled and tumbled, plopping into the river with a splash. At the same time, Qin Ai said, “If we want to meet, there will always be opportunities.”

She wouldn’t even give a chance to those she didn’t want to meet, let alone a word.

Zuo Bian was sent back to the hotel by Qin Ai, who then left.

As soon as Qin Ai left, 555 started yelling excitedly in Zuo Bian’s mind.

【Oh my god! I never expected such a big progress just from having dinner together!】

“What happened? How much did the progress bar move?”

【Host! The progress is now 9.9%, we’re only 90.1% away from success! I thought we would continue to inch forward slowly like before, but who knew we would get such a surprise today!】

“I don’t feel like I did anything special.” Zuo Bian said as she sat cross-legged on the sofa.

【Come on, Host, quickly send the female lead a message to solidify your relationship.】

“Okay, I’ll send it right away.” Zuo Bian took out her phone.

After all this time, Zuo Bian was already proficient at using her phone. No one would have guessed that she was an ancient person who didn’t even know what a phone was not long ago.

Zuo Bian sent Qin Ai several cute emojis, asking if she had gotten home.

There was no immediate reply, and 555 started sighing again.

【Sigh, I thought this was a major breakthrough, but it seems like it was just my wishful thinking. I suddenly feel lost about the future.】

Zuo Bian quickly comforted 555. “555, don’t be discouraged, Qin Ai might just haven’t seen the message yet.”

【Why do I feel like you’re comforting me? By the way, this Qin Ai is definitely the big boss in nightmare mode. When normal people reach almost 10% progress, even if they’re not super close, they should at least have some good feelings for each other, right? Could it be that the difference lies in this 0.1%?】

“555, I’m a little curious about how this progress is calculated. It doesn’t seem like it’s just good feelings.”

【Oh, about that, we have a special algorithm for calculating the progress. There are three basic dimensions: favorability, intimacy, and completion of fixed plot points.

We also make some adjustments based on the personality of each target. For example, Qin Ai is a very guarded person, so favorability has the lowest weight, and intimacy has the highest.

Don’t underestimate the current progress of 9.9%, her favorability is already quite high.】

Zuo Bian nodded as she listened, her peripheral vision catching a glimpse of her phone screen.

“Qin Ai replied.”

【What did she say?】

Zuo Bian stared at her phone and read Qin Ai’s reply aloud. “She said she was driving just now and just got home.”

【So she really didn’t see it, I’m relieved.】

“I told you, so 555, don’t be discouraged so quickly. Actually, Qin Ai is quite nice. She treated me to dinner the first time we met, stood up for me on set, and even picked food and peeled shrimp for me during dinner.”

【Why do I feel like this conquest is reversed? But that’s not the point, the point is, Host, you’re very successful. Keep it up, increase intimacy as soon as possible, and our progress bar will shoot up like a rocket!】

“Okay!”

================

The next day, filming resumed. Xu Ruisheng, the actor playing the male lead, looked listless and didn’t intentionally or unintentionally get close to Zuo Bian like he usually did. He even avoided contact with her.

Zuo Bian found it strange. She asked 555 in her mind, ‘555, why did Xu Ruisheng suddenly change? He’s like a different person.’

【Ah, about that. Last night, after you fell asleep, I played with your phone, so I happened to see it. Remember when Xu Ruisheng almost had an accident while doing the wire stunt, and you saved him?】

‘Yes, I remember.’

【The photo of you princess-carrying him was leaked.】

‘So what?’

【He thinks it’s embarrassing. A grown man being carried by a woman, and princess-carried at that. He’s probably frantically contacting people to delete the posts. Host, if you’re interested, you can also check out the posts before they’re deleted.】

‘Let me see.’

Guided by 555, Zuo Bian found the posts and saw the photo.

In the photo, Zuo Bian was holding Xu Ruisheng in her arms, her back still straight. There seemed to be a breeze, and her long, waterfall-like hair and moon-white skirt billowed like a flower. A spotlight shone down, illuminating half of her beautiful, jade-like face.

She looked calm and composed, her posture elegant. Coupled with her unique classical temperament, she truly looked like a celestial being descending from a world of immortals. The celestial being happened to descend to the mortal realm, saw someone in danger, and casually saved them.

The focus of the entire photo was on Zuo Bian, with Xu Ruisheng reduced to an insignificant background.

The comments section was lively, with most people fawning over Zuo Bian’s beauty, exclaiming, “I can!”

3rd Floor: Ahhh! She’s so beautiful!

4th Floor: Hahaha, I’m exactly the same as the person above. I bet this young lady will definitely become popular!

5th Floor: I’m so looking forward to “Ascending to Immortality”. I’ll definitely watch it with my roommate when it airs.

…

125th Floor: Wait, haven’t you noticed who the person being held by the young lady is?

126th Floor: Looking closely, it’s actually Xu Ruisheng, the male lead! Oh my god, hahahaha, the image of Xu Ruisheng as a noble male god in my heart has completely collapsed.

127th Floor: Me too, I feel like Xu Ruisheng is so uke in front of the young lady! But a little bit of contrast makes him seem more real.

128th Floor: Xu Ruisheng was quite popular before, but his persona was too perfect, it felt fake, so I stopped being his fan. My current idol is Zuo Bian, beautiful, strong, and genuine!

129th Floor: But I heard that this Zuo Bian is a mistress, she stole Chang Wensi’s brother’s girlfriend. She’s definitely not a good person.

130th Floor: Don’t you think that makes it even more exciting?

131st Floor: If we want excitement, we should go all the way. Should we ask if they’re wearing Pinru’s clothes? (A reference to a popular drama where the mistress wears the wife’s clothes)

132nd Floor: She’s not even famous yet, and a bunch of people are acting like crazy fans, protecting her. It’s disgusting. The entertainment industry is really a place where anyone can enter, as long as you have a pretty face, you can ignore the disgusting nature of being a mistress.

As soon as this comment appeared, a heated argument broke out. All sorts of insults were thrown around, but there were still many people defending Zuo Bian.

【Sigh, I forgot that the focus of this post changed later on. Host, you better stop reading.】

Zuo Bian was happy to see people liking her, and she didn’t take the insults to heart because she knew they were fake.

“Hey.”

Zuo Bian suddenly heard someone calling her. She subconsciously turned around and saw Chang Wensi with a sullen face.

“Qin Ai will be attending our Chang family’s banquet next week. I hope you won’t come. You can tell me what you want as compensation.”

“Huh?”

Zuo Bian didn’t know about the banquet before, but now she did thanks to Chang Wensi.

【A banquet next week? Host, wait a minute, let me check the plot.】

“I’m sorry, I can’t listen to you. If Qin Ai is going, then I’ll definitely go.” Zuo Bian said with a serious expression.

Chang Wensi crossed her arms and clicked her tongue. “Why are you so clueless? Do you have a degree? Can you make as much money as my brother? Do you think you’re worthy of Qin Ai?”

Zuo Bian asked in confusion, “Do you need to be worthy to be friends with someone?”

Chang Wensi snorted. “Of course. What other merits do you have besides being rich, beautiful, and having a good figure?”

“Thank you for the compliment, you’re beautiful too.” Zuo Bian said with a smile. She was in a good mood because she had just heard 555’s words.

【There’s indeed a banquet next week, and Qin Ai will be attending. Although I can’t predict the specific details, Host, I can assure you that something exciting will definitely happen. Seize the opportunity, Host, maybe the progress bar will jump significantly.

We almost missed this plot point, it’s a good thing Xiao Chang reminded us. Xiao Chang is such a good person!】

Good person Chang Wensi stared at Zuo Bian blankly. After a while, she came back to her senses, yelled “Are you stupid?”, and stormed off, almost tripping over a small stool on the ground.

 

Chapter 15

That afternoon, two prominent figures arrived at the “Ascending to Immortality” filming set: Chang Wenyan, the CEO of Chang Group, and Qin Ai, the CEO of Qin Group.

The arrival of one would have been exciting enough, but now two had come at once. Most importantly, it was said that these two big shots were a couple. However, considering the conversation between Chang Wensi and Zuo Bian in the makeup room on the first day of filming, the relationship between these two seemed even more complicated.

Everyone had their own thoughts, but no one dared to show them on their faces. No one dared to offend these two powerful figures.

Chang Wenyan stood with his arms crossed, his expression unpleasant. No matter what he said, Qin Ai seemed to be completely ignoring him.

Chang Wenyan had been “pursuing” Qin Ai for a long time. If it weren’t for Qin Ai’s exceptional qualities, he would have given up and found someone else.

Among his peers in the same circle, Qin Ai was the only one he admired. If he had to choose someone to marry, being with Qin Ai was the best option.

Qin Ai was beautiful and capable, and being with her would be a true power couple. But for some reason, Qin Ai always rejected his proposals.

Could it be because she was captivated by that woman named Zuo Bian?

Chang Wenyan looked at Zuo Bian, who was filming in front of the camera, his eyes narrowing slightly.

What was so good about this woman who only had looks? Just a little bit of acting cute could make Qin Ai completely smitten.

This kind of beautiful and coquettish woman like Zuo Bian absolutely could not stay by Qin Ai’s side. Even if he couldn’t be with Qin Ai, the person with Qin Ai shouldn’t be Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian, who was filming, suddenly felt a gaze on her. She subconsciously glanced in that direction and happened to meet Chang Wenyan’s eyes.

Chang Wenyan sneered and glared at Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian felt baffled, but she didn’t dwell on it.

After this scene ended, Director Chen announced an early break. They wouldn’t be filming the night scene because President Chang said he was treating everyone to dinner.

Hearing that President Chang was treating them, everyone cheered. No one could withstand the high-intensity work with almost no rest. It was good to relax occasionally.

Zuo Bian wasn’t interested in the reason why Chang Wenyan was treating them. She was more interested in talking to Qin Ai.

When it was time to sit down, Zuo Bian naturally sat next to Qin Ai, completely ignoring Chang Wenyan’s murderous gaze.

Chang Wensi walked up to Zuo Bian and put on a fake smile. “Miss Zuo, could I switch seats with you?”

Zuo Bian looked up at Chang Wensi and smiled, getting up from her seat. Just as Chang Wensi thought Zuo Bian was going to agree, she saw Zuo Bian pick up a piece of spare rib.

“I don’t want to switch seats with you. Hmm, the garlic spare ribs are a bit far.” After saying that, Zuo Bian sat back down firmly.

Chang Wensi’s face flushed red, and she stomped her foot, letting out a forceful snort before angrily sitting next to Chang Wenyan.

【Host, you’re getting more and more mischievous. Look, Chang Wensi and Chang Wenyan both want to throw you out.】

‘I just think she’s too self-righteous, so I don’t want to agree.’

【Host, just keep doing what you’re doing.】

‘Mm-hmm.’

Everyone at the table wished they could turn invisible and become air. The atmosphere was too awkward. It was impossible to enjoy the meal in this atmosphere. They would rather eat boxed lunches on set.

Only Zuo Bian was seriously eating, and she was eating with gusto. Everyone admired Zuo Bian in their hearts. As expected of someone who could navigate between two powerful figures, her mental fortitude was extraordinary.

“This is delicious, try it.” Zuo Bian used the serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of spicy chicken for Qin Ai.

“Thank you.”

Chang Wenyan put down his chopsticks. In fact, he hadn’t eaten anything at all.

How could he eat when he saw Qin Ai sitting with Zuo Bian?

“Qin Ai, are you still not considering what I told you last time?”

Qin Ai didn’t even lift her eyelids. Instead, she said to Zuo Bian beside her, “Do you want some shrimp?”

Although Zuo Bian didn’t understand why Qin Ai suddenly asked her if she wanted shrimp, she nodded anyway. “Yes, please.”

“I’ll peel them for you.”

Qin Ai put on gloves and slowly peeled the shrimp shells. Soon, a perfect piece of pink shrimp meat appeared in her hand.

The tender shrimp meat, dipped in sauce, was brought to Zuo Bian’s lips. Zuo Bian subconsciously opened her mouth and took the shrimp meat into her mouth.

The delicious and tender juices burst in her mouth, and Zuo Bian couldn’t help but smile. “Delicious.”

Qin Ai picked up another shrimp. Her fingers were long and slender, each one like a meticulously carved piece of jade, making it seem like these hands shouldn’t be doing something like peeling shrimp that might get them dirty.

Chang Wenyan had known Qin Ai for so many years, but he had never seen her peel shrimp for anyone.

These were the hands that were supposed to be signing contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars. What kind of magic did this Zuo Bian possess to make Qin Ai peel shrimp for her?

Zuo Bian was happily eating when she suddenly felt someone staring at her intently.

She looked up and met Chang Wenyan’s gaze.

‘Chang Wenyan seems to really hate me. Every time I see him, he’s glaring at me.’

Seeing that Zuo Bian not only didn’t feel guilty when she met his gaze, but even dared to stare back at him directly, Chang Wenyan’s anger grew even stronger.

【Oh my god, look, look, look. Host, Chang Wenyan is looking at you like you’re a seductive concubine who bewitched the emperor.】

‘Aren’t his eyes tired? I’m tired, I’d rather just lower my head and eat.’ Zuo Bian nonchalantly looked away and continued eating with gusto, especially with Qin Ai peeling shrimp and serving her food.

Chang Wensi felt that Zuo Bian and Qin Ai were being overly affectionate. She snorted softly and comforted Chang Wenyan in a low voice, “Brother, don’t be sad, Sister Qin Ai is just temporarily blinded by beauty. After a while, she’ll know who is truly suitable for her.”

In the eyes of Chang Wenyan and Chang Wensi, Qin Ai was a foolish emperor bewitched by a seductive concubine. Because of the concubine’s whispers, they, the true and virtuous consorts, were being neglected by the emperor.

“Take your time, everyone. I’m going to make a phone call.” Chang Wenyan stood up and smiled, but there was no mirth in his eyes.

Everyone knew why Chang Wenyan was in a bad mood, so they could only pretend to be oblivious and continue eating.

Without Chang Wenyan glaring at her, Zuo Bian ate even more happily. However, she seemed to have drunk too much and needed to use the restroom.

“I’m going to the restroom.” Zuo Bian whispered to Qin Ai beside her and got up from her seat.

Not long after Zuo Bian left, Qin Ai also stood up. “Excuse me for a moment.”

With all three people who made the atmosphere awkward gone, everyone at the table finally dared to breathe a sigh of relief.

The production assistant wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I feel like I’m going to have indigestion today.”

The makeup artist said, “I bet there’s definitely a big drama unfolding where we can’t see.”

Another staff member said, “This is a Shura field, a Shura field. I feel like Miss Zuo Bian has a better chance of winning. Just look at President Qin’s completely different attitude towards Miss Zuo and President Chang.”

Slap—

Chang Wensi slammed her hand on the table, startling everyone.

Chang Wensi also realized she had lost her composure. She said awkwardly, “It’s best not to gossip about things you don’t know about.”

Chang Wensi’s words immediately silenced everyone.

Meanwhile, Zuo Bian finished washing her hands and came out of the restroom. After taking a few steps, she heard a voice.

“Miss Zuo, I have something to say to you.” Chang Wenyan leaned against the wall, his eyes dark.

============================================

At the end of the corridor was a large balcony. From here, one could see a corner of the city with its flickering neon lights, colorful, dazzling, and noisy, a completely different world from the quiet balcony.

“I know what you want to say to me.”

“You do?” Chang Wenyan frowned.

Zuo Bian nodded. “Mm, do you want to warn me to stay away from Qin Ai? If so, I can only say I’m sorry, I can’t listen to you.”

“You and Qin Ai are not from the same world, what do you understand about her?”

Zuo Bian countered, “Then do you understand her? If I were to tell you to stay away from Qin Ai, would you be willing?”

Chang Wenyan’s expression darkened. “Are you trying to order me around?”

Zuo Bian tilted her head, looking at Chang Wenyan with confusion. “You’re not willing to do it yourself, but you want others to listen to you, isn’t that strange?”

Chang Wenyan wanted to refute Zuo Bian’s words, but he couldn’t think of anything to say for a moment.

“I’ll give you one last piece of advice: stop approaching Qin Ai. People from different worlds can never be together.” Perhaps afraid that Zuo Bian would say something else that made sense, Chang Wenyan hurriedly left after finishing his words, his retreating figure resembling someone fleeing in defeat.

Zuo Bian muttered, “If you want to be with Qin Ai, why are you always coming to me? It’s useless to look for me.”

Even Zuo Bian could see that Qin Ai had no feelings for Chang Wenyan. Zuo Bian understood the principle that you can’t force someone to love you, but Chang Wenyan just didn’t get it.

【Sigh, since ancient times, the first reaction of the legitimate wife when she discovers her partner is cheating is to attack the mistress, rarely do they consider whether the problem lies with their partner.】

‘So, am I successful? Has the plot been pushed forward?’

【Yes, yes, but we’re still far from success. It’s only 3.4% now.】

‘Okay, then I’ll keep working hard.’

A faint click sounded, and Zuo Bian subconsciously followed the sound.

A cluster of blue flames flickered in the darkness, casting a faint light on a beautiful and alluring face.

Qin Ai leaned against the railing with her arms crossed, playing with a silver lighter in her left hand. Her black hair swayed gently in the night breeze.

Click—

The faint light extinguished, and Qin Ai emerged from the darkness. The light from the corridor slanted onto her body, leaving half her face shrouded in shadow.

“Qin Ai, were you here all along?”

Qin Ai parted her lips. “I’ve always been here.”

“Chang Wenyan is so strange, he keeps saying we’re not from the same world. Don’t we all live in this world?” As Zuo Bian spoke, she suddenly remembered that she wasn’t originally from this world, but Chang Wenyan obviously didn’t know that.

Qin Ai suddenly chuckled. “Mm, he’s right. We’re indeed not from the same world.”

Zuo Bian took two steps forward, stopping half a meter away from Qin Ai. “Who made that rule? I can be with whoever I want, I can talk to whoever I want, can’t I?”

Qin Ai looked into Zuo Bian’s eyes, which were as clear and innocent as when they first met. The emotions in those eyes were so pure that Qin Ai could clearly see the confusion in them.

After a long silence, Qin Ai finally spoke. “No one made that rule.”

Zuo Bian immediately broke into a smile. “So, we can still meet next time, right?”

“Yes.”

Zuo Bian took Qin Ai’s hand and walked inside. “It’s a bit cold outside, let’s go in.”

However, after taking two steps, Zuo Bian realized that Qin Ai had stopped. She turned back to look at Qin Ai and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Ai stood under the light, her dark eyes seemingly filled with emotions that Zuo Bian couldn’t understand.

“I want to ask you for a favor. We’re friends, you’ll help me, right?”

Zuo Bian nodded matter-of-factly. “Of course, I’ll do my best to help with anything I can.”

“In the future, if Chang Wenyan is present, just act like you did today.” Qin Ai said.

“Act like I did today?”

“Pretend that we have a very good relationship.”

Zuo Bian nodded as if she suddenly understood. “Oh, okay. But we don’t need to pretend, right? Aren’t we friends now? It’s normal for friends to have a good relationship.”

Qin Ai nodded. “Let’s go, it’s time to go back.”

“I haven’t finished my drink yet. That Wanglaoji* drink is so good, sweet and refreshing, especially after eating spicy food.” Zuo Bian said, savoring the taste.

Soon, the two returned to their seats. Chang Wenyan had already returned to his seat. He still hadn’t touched his food, and now he was even drinking alcohol.

Chang Wensi wanted to persuade her brother, but Chang Wenyan ignored her.

The production assistant tried to lighten the mood with awkward laughter, but it only made things more awkward. In the end, he could only remain silent.

Finally, at nine o’clock, the tense dinner ended. Everyone at the table, except for Zuo Bian, hurriedly said their goodbyes, claiming to have urgent matters to attend to.

Chang Wenyan forcefully put down his glass, making the whole table shake.

“Qin Ai, what are you thinking?” Chang Wenyan looked up at Qin Ai.

Qin Ai gracefully wiped her mouth, her smile polite and distant, the same smile she wore in the office. “My thoughts are none of your business, President Chang. If you have so much time, why don’t you focus on more projects and earn more money? After all, isn’t that what you Chang family members love the most?”

These last words were like a knife, piercing straight into Chang Wenyan’s chest, leaving him speechless.

“Are you full?” Qin Ai glanced at Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian finished the last sip of her drink and nodded. “I’m full.”

“Then let’s go.”

Qin Ai got up and left, Zuo Bian following closely behind.

Only Chang Wenyan and Chang Wensi were left. Chang Wensi’s expression wasn’t much better either.

“Brother…”

Chang Wenyan raised his hand to interrupt her. “Don’t say anything, let me be alone for a while.”

“Okay.” Chang Wensi picked up her small bag and left, looking back at Chang Wenyan repeatedly before she left.

Chang Wenyan lowered his head, his slightly long bangs covering his eyes, hiding his emotions.

Back when the Qin family had faced misfortune, the Chang family, who had a good relationship with them, could have helped, but they chose to stand by and watch. Chang Wenyan had protested, but he was young and had no say in the matter. Later, although Qin Ai had managed to pull the entire Qin Group through the crisis, the relationship between the Qin and Chang families was never the same again.

The decision back then wasn’t made by Chang Wenyan, but he was a member of the Chang family, and Qin Ai included him in her resentment. Chang Wenyan didn’t dare to complain.

No, perhaps Qin Ai didn’t even feel resentment towards him, she just treated him as a stranger who frequently appeared in her life.

After the Qin family’s misfortune, Chang Wenyan realized that he could no longer understand Qin Ai. She had armored herself, shutting out the outside world and forbidding anyone from entering her heart.

***

Note:

Wanglaoji is a leading brand in the Chinese herbal tea market

Chapter 14

Zuo Bian left the stunned Hu Miaofu and returned to her room, where she took a comfortable bath and lay down on the bed.

“The beds in this world are so soft, and this thing called a phone is just too convenient, much more useful than sound transmission talismans and communication mirrors.” Zuo Bian said as she tapped away on her phone.

【Host, I think you should end this game as soon as possible. It’s time to connect with the female lead and build some rapport(harmonious relationship).】555, which had initially hated that article about the harms of playing mobile games, now just wanted the host to revisit it. Stop playing games! Have you forgotten about the female lead?!

“Oh, okay, I’ll push the tower now.”

Three minutes later, Zuo Bian ended the game and opened WeChat. She skillfully sent four or five emojis.

【Host, you can’t build rapport this way, you need to talk!】

“Oh, actually I just wanted to see these cute little dumplings, I’ll talk now.” Zuo Bian’s fingers just touched the input box when 555 stopped her.

【Wait!】

“What’s wrong?”

【Let me guide you.】

“Okay.” Zuo Bian nodded obediently.

555 felt that letting Zuo Bian handle it herself would probably make it question its existence, so it decided to personally guide Zuo Bian step by step. After all, it was an advanced system, well-read, knowledgeable, and talented.

【First, you need to understand the female lead’s hobbies.】

“Okay.” Zuo Bian typed one pinyin at a time, reading it out loud as she typed: “What’s your favorite color?”

【Ugh, I have a feeling Qin Ai won’t reply to you. This was a mistake, I should have told you to ask her in person, that way the chance of getting a reply is higher.】

Zuo Bian looked at the phone screen, and a blank speech bubble suddenly appeared.

“555, you were wrong, she replied.”

555 took a look and said helplessly, 【But isn’t replying like this the same as not replying?】

“She likes white, I know.”

【???? Host, are you kidding me?】

Zuo Bian said, “555, didn’t Qin Ai wear white when we first met? Even her shoes and phone are white?”

【Yes.】

“She just sent a blank speech bubble, so what’s wrong with her liking white?”

【It seems… seems like there’s nothing wrong… Then ask her what kind of flavor she likes, like salty, sweet, spicy, or sour.】

“Mm-hmm, I’ll ask.” Zuo Bian slowly typed, her speed so slow that it made 555 anxious. It almost wanted to type for Zuo Bian.

As soon as Zuo Bian sent the question, a comma appeared on the other side.

“Mm, I know, she likes spicy food.”

【Huh? I didn’t see that coming.】

Zuo Bian pointed at the comma and asked, “Doesn’t this comma look like a chili pepper?”

【No, no, no, I don’t think this logic is right. How could a cold and aloof person like Qin Ai like spicy food? Eating spicy food seems too down-to-earth, I can’t even imagine it!】

“You like spicy food, right?” Zuo Bian typed these words, not forgetting to add a question mark.

Qin Ai: Mm.

【???? No! No! No! I don’t agree with this logic! Why? Why?! This is completely different from my analysis, why can your completely unreasonable and barbaric logic be right? As the Heavenly Dao said, no matter how perfect the data is, it’s still a dead thing and can’t compare to a living person?】

Seeing its cute little system breaking down and questioning its existence, Zuo Bian weakly revealed the truth, “Actually… I observed it last time when I had dinner at Qin Ai’s house.”

555：……

【Oh, so that’s how it is.】

Despite pretending to be calm, 555 could still feel its data flow slightly trembling.

My heart is so tired, ah, no, it doesn’t have a heart, it’s just data.

“555, you seem a little down. Don’t be sad that you didn’t guess Qin Ai’s taste correctly. You’re still amazing, you wrote such a useful Green Tea Handbook.”

【Hahahaha, I’m not down at all, don’t talk nonsense! Hurry up and continue chatting with Qin Ai.】

“Mm-hmm, I’ll take a look at the Green Tea Handbook first.”

Zuo Bian flipped to a certain page, stared at it for a while, and then immediately started typing. She read aloud as she typed: “Can you come see me? But if you’re too busy, it’s okay. Just think of me when you have time, I’ll be waiting for you to come see me.”

【Mm-hmm, good, good. This sentence is a strategic retreat. If Qin Ai can come, that’s best, if not, at least let her know that you really want to see her. I ask you, who wouldn’t want a beautiful, kind, curvy, and non-clingy girlfriend with a nice voice?】

Qin Ai: I’m busy.

【Sigh, it seems she won’t be coming. I knew it.】

Zuo Bian typed: Oh, okay…

Qin Ai: But tomorrow is Saturday, see you tomorrow.

“Great! She said she’s coming to see me tomorrow!”

Zuo Bian, in her excitement, sent Qin Ai several more Caogenyantuanzi emojis. There were round and soft dumplings shooting out hearts, dumplings hugging hearts and rubbing against them, and dumplings lying in a pile of hearts with the caption “Heaven”.

In the distant Qin family villa, Qin Ai leaned back on the sofa, looking at her phone screen with a smile on her lips.

“Who on earth taught her to chase people like this?”

After laughing, Qin Ai suddenly realized that she had actually laughed, and had even teased Zuo Bian in a childish way.

But this feeling wasn’t bad.

================

【Let me analyze this. The reason why Qin Ai agreed to come see you is very likely because of your meaningful ellipsis. Host! You’re very talented! You’re very skilled at using punctuation. This short ellipsis accurately expresses your disappointment and evokes Qin Ai’s sympathy.】

“Your analysis makes sense. I’ll read the Green Tea Handbook more, it’s really useful.” Zuo Bian enthusiastically read the Green Tea Handbook from beginning to end again.

Of course, 555’s analysis was basically nonsense, because Qin Ai had decided to visit Zuo Bian from the beginning, it wasn’t because of the ellipsis at all.

After reviewing the Green Tea Handbook, Zuo Bian turned off the lights and went to sleep, waiting for tomorrow to come, waiting for Qin Ai to come.

The next day, Zuo Bian got up early, full of energy as if she had drunk a potent tonic.

Then, Zuo Bian heard two pieces of news on set. The first was that Xu Ruisheng had taken another leave of absence, this time it was said that he had caught a bad cold from being overly frightened.

The second piece of news was that Chang Wensi’s brother, Chang Wenyan, was coming to the set to see her.

It wasn’t surprising that Xu Ruisheng had taken leave, it would be strange if he didn’t. But Chang Wenyan was different. He was the CEO of Chang Group. Although he had appeared in financial magazines, no one had ever seen him in person.

Chang Wenyan was handsome, young, and rich, and most importantly, single. These qualities alone were enough to make most women fantasize.

Listening to the makeup artist express her excitement about possibly seeing Chang Wenyan later, Zuo Bian felt very confused.

Qin Ai was also very beautiful, very rich, and single, why wasn’t everyone so excited when she came?

She still preferred Qin Ai. The way Chang Wenyan looked at her always made her feel uncomfortable.

555 thought to itself: Of course, in his mind, you’re the little b*tch who stole his future girlfriend.

***

草根颜团子: Caogenyantuanzi: 

This is the emoji character “base”example.

If you search for “草根颜团子” on Google Images, you’ll indeed find many different variations.

Chapter 13

Zuo Bian didn’t stay home for long; the film crew was waiting for her to return to filming. Although she was a major investor in the production, it wouldn’t be appropriate to be too capricious and take breaks whenever she pleased. Zuo Bian still understood this basic courtesy.

Upon returning to the set, Zuo Bian noticed that Hu Miaofu had inexplicably become close to everyone, while Chang Wensi remained the same, always putting on airs with an arrogant demeanor.

However, Zuo Bian heard that Xu Ruisheng, the actor playing the male lead, had taken another leave of absence today. He was late for the opening ceremony, and now he was constantly asking for leave after filming officially started. Some people on the set were already dissatisfied with Xu Ruisheng, but after all, he was a popular young actor with a large following, so they still had to maintain a facade of respect.

The day after Zuo Bian returned to the set, Xu Ruisheng also returned from his leave. It was said that he had been recording a show the day before.

While filming scenes with Xu Ruisheng, Zuo Bian always felt that he was intentionally or unintentionally getting close to her, making it seem like there was something ambiguous between them.

Zuo Bian didn’t like Xu Ruisheng very much, and her agent had also told her to stay away from him. So every time they finished filming a scene, Zuo Bian would quickly distance herself from Xu Ruisheng by at least three meters, as if he had some contagious disease.

Xu Ruisheng’s face darkened, but he couldn’t say anything. Many people in the crew were veterans of the entertainment industry, who couldn’t see through his intentions? They just didn’t expose him directly.

Xu Ruisheng and Lü Deng had also considered using Hu Miaofu, the third female lead, to create a shipping scandal, but Zuo Bian was the female lead of the drama. As long as her performance wasn’t terrible, the drama would definitely gain some popularity after its broadcast. Only by riding on this wave of popularity could he increase his own fame. Trying to create a scandal with the third female lead would probably only end in failure.

============================================

In Xu Ruisheng’s room.

“Brother Lü, that Zuo Bian is like a brick wall, I can’t get through to her at all.” Xu Ruisheng said, frustratedly running his fingers through his hair.

“Ruisheng, your popularity has been declining recently. Your Weibo views and interactions are only half of what they used to be, and your ability to sell products has also significantly decreased. If this continues, you’ll gradually fade away in the entertainment industry. Do you know what’s the most terrifying thing? The most terrifying thing is that no one remembers you at all!” Lü Deng said, slamming his hand on the table in excitement.

“Alright, alright, I get it. I’ll listen to you.”

Lü Deng’s anger subsided a little. “I’ll ask for another day off for you tomorrow. I’ve secured a third male lead role for you in the drama ‘Imperial Power’. Don’t underestimate it just because it’s a third male lead role. It’s more popular than the male lead role in ‘Ascending to Immortality’. What a bullshit male lead, it’s just a supporting role for the female lead!”

“Ascending to Immortality” was a female-centric drama, with the main focus on the female lead. Although the male lead’s ranking seemed the same as the female lead, his screen time was pitifully small.

Especially since this drama had the Zuo family’s investment, all resources were tilted towards Zuo Bian. Everyone in the entire drama was just a supporting character for Zuo Bian.

After only two days of filming, Xu Ruisheng asked for leave again. Even Chang Wensi, who was known for her capriciousness, didn’t ask for leave as frequently as Xu Ruisheng.

Today’s filming schedule had to be adjusted again, and Director Chen and the screenwriter were discussing it together.

Screenwriter: “Xu Ruisheng asked for leave again today. Should we postpone this scene until he comes back?”

Director Chen stroked his chin and said in a deep voice, “I think this scene can work without the male lead. Just delete his part and continue filming as usual.”

The screenwriter drew a line on the script with a pen. “Mm, I’ll listen to Director Chen.”

The male lead’s screen time was already less than the female lead’s. With scenes being deleted like this, his screen time became even smaller.

Xu Ruisheng was juggling multiple projects, and his condition was getting worse and worse. He often couldn’t get into character, making Director Chen furious.

“What’s going on? Is this wire stunt scene difficult? Have you never done it before? Or are your bones loose from resting too much?”

Although he didn’t name names, everyone knew who the director was scolding.

Xu Ruisheng didn’t dare to speak. He had asked for leave too many times and was clearly in the wrong.

After Director Chen shouted “Action!”, Xu Ruisheng jumped down from the second-floor railing. In this scene, the female lead was misunderstood by everyone, and the male lead descended from the sky to save her.

The male lead’s entrance in this scene had to be ethereal and beautiful.

However, Xu Ruisheng had only slept for two hours the night before and was already exhausted. As he descended, his mind suddenly went blank, and he forgot to maintain his balance. His entire body was suspended by the wires, spinning uncontrollably.

Xu Ruisheng’s mind cleared, but it was too late to regain his balance. Director Chen shouted through the megaphone for the crew to stop the wires, but unfortunately, the wires malfunctioned at this critical moment.

The feeling of weightlessness made it impossible for Xu Ruisheng to stay calm. Just as he thought he was going to crash to the ground, he suddenly felt lighter. When he opened his eyes again, he met Zuo Bian’s gaze.

Xu Ruisheng had been desperately trying to get close to Zuo Bian, and now he had succeeded so easily, but in a rather awkward way.

Lü Deng, who was offstage, subconsciously pressed the shutter button, an inappropriate thought popping into his mind: It would be great if it was Zuo Bian who was being carried.

Zuo Bian gently put down the tall Xu Ruisheng and turned to the director. “Director Chen, that was really dangerous just now. Please make sure the wires are safe before we continue filming this scene.”

Director Chen: “O-Okay… It’s getting late, let’s call it a day.”

The scene of Zuo Bian effortlessly catching a 140-pound man was so shocking that everyone was momentarily stunned, while Xu Ruisheng was still lying weakly on the ground.

“Miss Zuo Bian, are you alright? How can you be so strong as a girl? I definitely couldn’t do that.” Hu Miaofu was the first to approach Zuo Bian and express her concern.

“I’m fine, but Mr. Xu seems to be frightened.” Zuo Bian glanced at Xu Ruisheng, who was still lying on the ground behind her.

However, Hu Miaofu firmly blocked Zuo Bian’s way. Zuo Bian frowned in confusion. “Is something wrong?”

Hu Miaofu smiled awkwardly. “Nothing.”

“Then I’ll go back to my room and rest.” After saying that, Zuo Bian walked around Hu Miaofu.

“Senior Xu was just scared, shouldn’t Miss Zuo Bian care a little? I’m sorry, I’m not trying to order Miss Zuo Bian around, but I just feel that it’s not very good to leave without even caring. It seems… it seems very cold-blooded.” The more Hu Miaofu spoke, the lower her head drooped. Standing next to the tall and straight Zuo Bian, she looked as if she was being bullied.

Zuo Bian said to 555 in her mind: ‘555, don’t you think Hu Miaofu’s words are strange? I can’t put my finger on it, but I just feel uncomfortable listening to her.’

【Host, just speak as you normally do. This Hu Miaofu’s level is still very low.】

‘Okay.’

“But I was also scared just now, why don’t you care about me? But Senior Xu almost had an accident, if you’re worried about him, shouldn’t you check if he’s injured? Why are you still talking to me? Oh, I understand, because you don’t care about him at all. You’re so cold-blooded.” Zuo Bian expressed her confusion earnestly.

Hu Miaofu stood there as if struck by lightning, her lips trembling, unable to utter a word.

555 mentally clicked its tongue. As expected, straightforwardness could counter all hypocritical schemes.

Chapter 12

“Come here.” Qin Ai’s gaze swept over Zuo Bian’s excessively short dress and bare shoulders.

Zuo Bian obediently walked to Qin Ai’s side and asked, “What about this person? I heard someone on the phone telling him to come here and deal with you.” Qin Ai took off her suit jacket and tossed it into Zuo Bian’s arms, then took out her phone and made a call.

Zuo Bian held the jacket, momentarily confused about Qin Ai’s intentions. Was she asking her to hold the jacket for her?

【Host, are you stupid! The female lead wants you to wear her jacket! Put it on, put it on!】

Prompted by the system, Zuo Bian immediately put on Qin Ai’s jacket, a faint scent of tea lingering around her nose.

After Qin Ai made the call, security personnel immediately appeared and took the man away. For a moment, it seemed like only Zuo Bian and Qin Ai were left in the entire underground parking lot.

“Get in the car, I have something to tell you.” Qin Ai opened the car door for Zuo Bian.

Zuo Bian got into the car, and Qin Ai followed, sitting beside her.

“What do you want to say to me?” Zuo Bian asked sincerely.

Qin Ai suddenly turned her head, her deep, dark eyes seeming to draw Zuo Bian’s soul in.

“Do you know who I am?” Qin Ai leaned closer to Zuo Bian, inch by inch.

Zuo Bian subconsciously leaned back. “I know, you’re Qin Ai.”

“Yes, I’m Qin Ai, a bad woman with a blackened heart.” Qin Ai murmured in a low voice, her tone deliberately soft and gentle, making every word sound like a tender whisper between lovers.

In the next instant, Qin Ai grabbed Zuo Bian’s wrists and pinned them above her head, looking down at Zuo Bian, who was forced to lie down on the seat. “Haven’t you heard people say that I’m ruthless and heartless, telling you to stay away from me?” Qin Ai’s hand slid from Zuo Bian’s cheek down to her slender waist, her touch suggestive.

The jacket that was draped over Zuo Bian’s shoulders had long fallen open, exposing her slender and vulnerable neck. She looked like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, but there was no fear in her eyes.

“I only believe what I see. You’re not bad.”

Zuo Bian’s clear eyes reflected Qin Ai’s face, her gaze fixed on Qin Ai’s unreadable expression.

Qin Ai suddenly chuckled softly. She released Zuo Bian’s hands and leaned down, her lips close to Zuo Bian’s ear. “Then you better be prepared to be hurt. I won’t comfort you if you cry.”

Zuo Bian propped herself up on her arms. “I won’t cry because I believe you won’t hurt me.”

Qin Ai smiled noncommittally. “I’m not a patient person, and I don’t have much kindness.”

“I don’t believe you.” Zuo Bian said firmly, as if trying to shatter the thick shell that Qin Ai had built around herself.

“That’s your business. I’ll take you home.” With that, Qin Ai opened the car door and went to the driver’s seat.

Qin Ai started the car, and Zuo Bian leaned on the back of the driver’s seat and said, “Qin Ai, can we be friends?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Qin Ai, can you come to the set to see me often in the future?”

“I’m busy with work, I don’t have time.”

“Okay, then I’ll take the initiative to find you.” Zuo Bian’s tone was cheerful, completely missing Qin Ai’s implication.

Qin Ai, for once, didn’t find it annoying to have someone talking in her ear, but that was all.

“If I were your girlfriend, would you come see me on your own initiative?” Zuo Bian asked.

“Do you say that to everyone?”

Zuo Bian shook her head. “I’ve only said it to you.”

Qin Ai raised an eyebrow. “Then only say it to me from now on.”

“Why?”

“If you say it to others, then I don’t think we can be friends. I’m a very possessive person, I only like things that are unique.”

Zuo Bian didn’t quite understand, but she nodded anyway. She needed to sort out this logic.

【Host, never mind the logic, this is a good sign! It means the female lead’s attitude towards you has softened. The progress bar proves everything! It’s 2.5% now!】

‘Wow, it increased by a lot.’

【Keep up the good work, Host! I’m already looking forward to the day you two get married. I didn’t expect the Green Tea Handbook to be so useful. Host, read and memorize it more after you go back, and truly understand its essence.】

‘Okay, but 555, why did you say you didn’t expect the Green Tea Handbook to be so useful? Hasn’t it always been useful?’

【Hahahahaha, yes, it has always been useful.】

The “always” at the end of 555’s sentence sounded particularly stiff and deliberate. How could it admit that the Green Tea Handbook was simply a product of plagiarism and adaptation?

Soon, Qin Ai sent Zuo Bian back to the Zuo family’s house. Du Yundong, who had already arrived home, wanted to invite Qin Ai to stay for dinner, but Qin Ai declined.

“Thank you for your kindness, Auntie, but I still have some matters to attend to, I’m afraid I don’t have time to stay for dinner.”

Du Yundong said, “Then I won’t keep you, Xiao Qin. Let’s have dinner together next time you’re free.”

“Goodbye.” Zuo Bian waved at Qin Ai.

================================================

After saying goodbye, Qin Ai left, and Zuo Bian kept staring at her retreating figure.

Du Yundong smiled knowingly and patted her daughter’s arm. “Xiao Bian, have you fallen for her?”

Zuo Bian thought for a moment and replied, “Mm, I have.”

Du Yundong covered her mouth and chuckled. “It seems our Xiao Bian has finally awakened. Sigh, I feel a little reluctant, it feels like Xiao Bian hasn’t been by my side for long.”

Du Yundong caressed Zuo Bian’s head, her eyes filled with tenderness and reluctance.

Zuo Bian held Du Yundong’s hand. “Mom, even if I have someone I like, I won’t forget you. I’ll never marry a wife and forget my mother.”

555 wanted to facepalm. It had let Zuo Bian access the internet so she could learn more and understand more, but it didn’t expect Zuo Bian to misuse the phrases she learned. They weren’t even officially together yet, and even if they did get together, 555 felt that its soft and cute host would definitely be the bottom.