Category: The Vicious Female Lead Doesn’t Want to Do It Anymore

Chapter 47: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Doesn’t Want to Be Responsible

In the end, Song Mingzhi accepted the necklace.

[Task complete, main storyline progress +3%, current progress 48%.]

Hearing the mechanical voice in her mind, Dong Ling smiled.

Song Mingzhi sensed her joy, and touching the dazzling gem, felt even more unable to understand Dong Ling’s thoughts.

Song Mingzhi didn’t have much relationship experience, so after thinking about it, she went to consult the relationship expert by her side, Miss Ji Yiling.

Ji Yiling, although hadn’t been in many relationships herself, had a whole set of theories about analyzing relationships, and could be called a relationship guru.

They were very close, and Song Mingzhi wasn’t the type to gossip about other people’s relationships, so she didn’t use the “I have a friend” opening, but asked directly.

“You’re saying, someone who likes you keeps flirting with you, but doesn’t want to take it further?”

Ji Yiling, truly a relationship expert, summarized it concisely and pointed out the problem directly.

“Is she playing with you?”

Ji Yiling said, touching her chin, that person sounded like a player, even Song Mingzhi could be fooled, she must be quite skilled.

Song Mingzhi denied: “She’s not that kind of person.”

Song Mingzhi knew Dong Ling wasn’t playing games, she could sense the sincerity in their interactions.

“Every time I advise someone to break up because their partner seems problematic, they always say that,” Ji Yiling wasn’t saying that the person Song Mingzhi mentioned was definitely problematic, but stating a common occurrence, then she said, “Are there any other specifics? Otherwise, it’s hard to analyze.”

“She just gave me a diamond necklace.”

“Wow, quite generous, is it an apology gift because you tested each other yesterday and then acted as if nothing happened today, and she’s worried you’re unhappy?”

Song Mingzhi’s expression was unreadable: “Perhaps.”

“Giving jewelry is naturally to please someone. Is she a player? Should you investigate and see if she has any other girlfriends, international or online?”

Song Mingzhi thought carefully and said: “She does have a potential fiancé, but he’s still in the hospital.”

Ji Yiling nodded, then suddenly reacted: “A male fiancé? But the person flirting with you is a woman?”

Ji Yiling said with a shocked expression: “It’s not that CEO Dong who’s so good to you and insists on promoting you, is it?”

Song Mingzhi nodded, Ji Yiling would find out sooner or later anyway, it didn’t matter if she knew now.

“I knew it, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, she has ulterior motives, that’s why she’s so attentive to you, and now she’s playing hard to get, she might just be playing around, don’t fall for it.”

Ji Yiling reminded her worriedly, afraid her friend would fall into a trap.

Although she knew Song Mingzhi wasn’t a naive little sheep, always the one setting traps for others, relationships were different, even the smartest people could stumble in love, Ji Yiling didn’t want Song Mingzhi to get hurt.

“She’s not playing around, it’s just… I can’t figure it out.”

If Song Mingzhi could figure it out, she wouldn’t have come to Ji Yiling.

“That’s true, after all, if she was just playing around, the cost is too high.”

Ji Yiling thought about what Dong Ling had done for Song Mingzhi, if it was just a transaction, the terms should have been clear from the beginning, it had been almost a year, and their relationship hadn’t progressed.

If it was courtship, it didn’t seem like it either, if she was worried that Song Mingzhi was straight and wouldn’t accept her, now she knew Song Mingzhi wasn’t.

Ji Yiling also fell into contemplation, why?

Song Mingzhi’s lips curved slightly hearing these words, thinking of the contract she signed, Dong Ling was practically throwing money and resources at her without asking for anything in return.

“If it weren’t for your response, just looking at CEO Dong’s actions, it wouldn’t seem like she’s playing with you, but rather simping for you.”

Ji Yiling mumbled, these actions were truly those of a simp.

Song Mingzhi was distracted by the last sentence.

The tip of her tongue touched the roof of her mouth, the image of Dong Ling overwhelmed, so inexperienced she forgot to breathe, soft and delicate, appeared in her mind.

Someone like that, how could she have any experience playing with people’s feelings?

Ji Yiling’s imagination ran wild: “Could she be related to your biological parents, specifically sent to give you things?”

“Impossible.”

Song Mingzhi didn’t think a rich heiress from Beihai had any connection to her biological parents’ family, if she did, why wouldn’t she be honest and tell her? And Dong Ling had never mentioned her parents, if Dong Ling really was as Ji Yiling speculated, she would have mentioned it.

But Ji Yiling’s words made her think that Dong Ling really did seem to be throwing herself and her resources at her.

But before she could figure anything out, her thoughts were interrupted by Ji Yiling’s words.

“Speaking of which, your movie is quite popular, you’ve gained some fame, has anyone contacted you?”

Song Mingzhi shook her head: “Probably not at that level yet, but some people from Jingzhou have contacted me.”

“They’re offering very generous terms.”

Song Mingzhi’s lips curved into an ambiguous smile, her tone sarcastic.

Ji Yiling laughed heartily: “The more relaxed they are, the better, I’m waiting to see their expressions when they realize they haven’t achieved anything.”

They didn’t talk further and finished their meal quietly. While washing the dishes, Ji Yiling suddenly exclaimed.

“Lao Song, I’ve figured it out!”

“Figured what out?”

“I’ve figured out what your little CEO Dong might be up to. You said she’s not playing with you, then is there a possibility that she genuinely likes you, wants to be with you, but also doesn’t want to be with you?”

Song Mingzhi looked puzzled: “Why? Explain.”

“I know someone like that, not the avoidant attachment type, but purely afraid of the relationship changing, afraid that love will turn into familial affection, burdened by trivial matters, also afraid of seeing the other person’s flaws, afraid of being tied down and restricted, so they like the ambiguous stage, but not a formal relationship.”

Ji Yiling started the dishwasher, walked over to Song Mingzhi, and the more she spoke, the more she felt this was a possibility.

“You know those people who are afraid of marriage, right? The kind who have been in a long-term relationship but don’t want to get married, because that means a change in the relationship, taking on responsibilities, and so on. The person I know is like that, but instead of being afraid of marriage, she’s afraid of relationships.”

Song Mingzhi summarized: “So… still doesn’t want to be responsible?”

“Not entirely, maybe she just lacks a sense of security, or maybe that’s just her personality… Anyway, keep observing.”

Ji Yiling trusted Song Mingzhi’s judgment, which was why she said that. And she also hoped Dong Ling was truly as Song Mingzhi described. It would be nice for Song Mingzhi, who was usually so emotionally unavailable, to finally settle down.

Song Mingzhi nodded, she had always been a very patient person.

At an awards ceremony in early June, Song Mingzhi, wearing a gown and the diamond necklace Dong Ling gave her, attended the event.

Zuo Zhen didn’t buy any trending topics boasting about Song Mingzhi outshining others, but in the best and worst dressed lists circulating online, Song Mingzhi was always among the best dressed.

Dong Ling had to accompany her mother to her uncle’s birthday party and couldn’t see Song Mingzhi in her gown in person, but she still saved a high-definition picture and admired it, leaning against the railing.

She knew the Eye of Emira would suit Song Mingzhi, and it did.

Noble and elegant, a perfect match.

Dong Ling, lost in thought, recalled Song Mingzhi’s disheveled appearance that day, and her eyes unconsciously lowered.

“What are you looking at?”

Dong Tang saw his sister standing alone and came over to greet her.

His eyesight was good, even though Dong Ling quickly turned off her phone screen, he still saw half of the woman’s face and recognized who it was.

Dong Ling shook her head: “Nothing.”

Dong Tang thought his little sister had grown up and had her own secrets now. He patted Dong Ling’s shoulder with a slightly melancholic tone: “Ling Ling, don’t worry too much, I’ll support you no matter what decision you make.”

Dong Ling looked at him, puzzled: “Brother, you’re talking as if I’m about to go fight a war in Syria.”

“Brother, are you okay?”

Why was he suddenly so sentimental, as if he was seriously ill?

“I’m fine, Uncle’s guests have arrived, let’s go say hello.”

Dong Tang’s face was expressionless, Dong Ling didn’t understand his complex emotions at all.

Dong Ling took Dong Tang’s arm and walked over, looking at her uncle’s guest.

“This is Mr. Wen Qian, a distinguished guest from Jingzhou, a talented and promising young man.”

Her uncle introduced him with a smile. Dong Ling nodded to Wen Qian and greeted him politely.

Dong Ling looked at Wen Qian’s face, feeling a vague sense of familiarity, but it was fleeting, in her memory, they had never met.

Strange.

Wen Qian also nodded politely, as if meeting for the first time. In fact, this was indeed their first official meeting, but Wen Qian already knew her.

When news of his senior sister appeared in the entertainment section, Wen Qian was quite surprised. When Song Mingzhi was caught in that scandal, Wen Qian almost couldn’t help but clarify things for her, but Song Mingzhi stopped him. Wen Qian had been following the situation and naturally knew about the Canghai CEO’s video.

He came from Jingzhou this time not only for business, but also to ask Song Mingzhi for help with a project, which was also part of Song Mingzhi’s plan. That day, when he took Song Mingzhi home, he saw Dong Ling’s figure from afar when leaving.

Dong Ling met Wen Qian’s gaze, a slight puzzlement in her eyes, Wen Qian smiled apologetically and looked away.

Dong Ling quickly forgot about this, she had other things to deal with.

The company had expanded rapidly, and had signed quite a few artists, but compared to other companies, the number was still small. But Dong Ling wasn’t in a hurry, she focused on quality over quantity, investing heavily in the early stages.

Looking at the young girls dancing in the training room, Dong Ling suddenly thought of the girl named Zhong Zhong, who looked a bit like Song Mingzhi.

She had already told the person in charge to keep Zhong Zhong for her, she would offer a higher price than others.

That was her determination.

Whether this girl was a passerby, a villain, or part of the protagonist’s camp, to avoid any threat to Song Mingzhi, she had to keep her firmly under her control.

“CEO Dong, someone is buying negative press about Mingzhi again.”

Zuo Zhen knocked on the door and reported with a troubled expression.

“Who is it this time?”

Dong Ling was alert and subconsciously thought of Xuan Du, but immediately dismissed the idea.

Xuan Du wouldn’t do the same thing twice, and with He Diesheng around now, Xuan Du didn’t have the time to bother her, she was probably busy scheming how to get rid of He Diesheng.

“We’re still investigating.”

Zuo Zhen sent the information to Dong Ling, who opened it on her computer, her expression darkening slightly.

The first thing that appeared on the webpage was a picture.

This picture was familiar to Dong Ling, she had even saved it.

The beginning of the post praised Song Mingzhi’s appearance, it didn’t seem like negative press at all, more like a promotional post, then the topic turned to the diamond necklace.

First, it asked everyone to guess the price of the necklace, then it started introducing its origin, its place of origin, its quality, the designer, the craftsman, and so on… in detail.

The language was witty and elegant, and it also mentioned other celebrities who owned similar pieces, making people want to read further.

Finally, the price of 70 million was revealed, and the writer expressed surprise that Song Mingzhi, with her current status, could already afford to wear such a piece.

This was just the beginning, the subsequent best and worst dressed lists also started making snide remarks, attributing most of Song Mingzhi’s stunning appearance to the Eye of Emira.

Unlike Xuan Du’s direct and malicious slander, this time, the person behind it was more insidious, seemingly praising Song Mingzhi, but actually putting down other actresses who attended the same event.

Faced with the 70 million diamond, some fans’ comments were also very unpleasant.

For example, saying that Song Mingzhi’s box office earnings and salary were worth that much, that buying a diamond necklace was nothing to her, and mocking other celebrities for being unpopular and not making enough money.

This sparked another discussion on the issue of high salaries in the entertainment industry, which then led to Song Mingzhi’s acting skills being questioned.

Admittedly, Song Mingzhi’s acting skills were good, but not yet masterful, but for a newcomer with no background, she was already outstanding.

Then there were those disguised as fans, using acting skills as a comparison, putting down several popular actors, practically trying to provoke public anger.

Dong Ling didn’t believe these were all genuine fans, she was well aware of the tricks used in fandom culture, like haters disguising themselves as fans to spread negativity.

These excessive praises pushed Song Mingzhi to an extreme online. Those who disagreed or genuinely felt that Song Mingzhi couldn’t afford it were constantly attacked by these “fans.”

The previous accusations resurfaced. Although most people didn’t believe that the sugar daddy behind Song Mingzhi was the greasy middle-aged man in the photoshopped picture, they still believed she had someone backing her.

Someone even made a spreadsheet listing Song Mingzhi’s resources, and someone else edited clips from the variety show Song Mingzhi participated in, criticizing her for lacking a sense of variety, being unprofessional, and not taking her job seriously.

In short, it was a complete mess.

It fermented to this extent in less than a day, it was impossible without a large number of paid trolls.

Compared to the previous direct and reckless accusations, this time, the insinuations, provocations, and attempts to stir up conflict were much more sophisticated. Dong Ling guessed that it was someone within the industry, but when did Song Mingzhi offend someone in the industry?

“The anti-fan group has already identified many fake fan accounts, but the public’s impression has been severely damaged. The PR department has already stepped in, it seems they want to shift the focus to brand collaborations, but the origin of the diamond has already been exposed, CEO Dong, we now…”

Dong Ling tapped the table and said: “I gave her that necklace.”

Zuo Zhen nodded without replying, she had already guessed, wasn’t it normal for a CEO to give her girlfriend a necklace?

“Do we need to issue a clarification like last time?”

“No,” Dong Ling shook her head, her eyes cold, “Since everyone likes digging for information and analyzing everything, let’s satisfy their curiosity.”

“Speed things up, find out who is behind this.”

Dong Ling didn’t like playing the same game twice, she would deal with her opponents using their own methods.

Admittedly, some of the analyses were correct, Song Mingzhi definitely had someone backing her, otherwise her resources wouldn’t be this good, and she wouldn’t be able to wear a 70 million diamond necklace and custom-made gown to an awards ceremony.

That person behind Song Mingzhi was her, it was clear and simple, and she had never hidden her intention to promote Song Mingzhi, how could these people conjure up a fictional sugar daddy?

Before Zuo Zhen left, Dong Ling asked: “Does Mingzhi know?”

Zuo Zhen turned around and said: “I’ve already asked Xiao Tan to inform her, so she knows what’s happening and doesn’t take action herself.”

Zuo Zhen didn’t think Song Mingzhi would handle it herself, or be flustered by these things. She had managed many artists, and Song Mingzhi was the calmest one.

Dong Ling nodded, looking at Song Mingzhi’s name on the screen, but didn’t click on it.

After informing Chen Shang Shang, Dong Ling had someone post online.

A few hours later, a post appeared. Because it was posted around 8 or 9 pm, the prime time for netizens to consume gossip, it quickly garnered many replies and reposts.

@ThisHateHasNothingToDoWithWindOrRain: Regarding the 70 million diamond and a certain sugar daddy behind the scenes.

I’ve been watching this drama unfold, and even I, a passerby, am curious. Let’s analyze this, wasn’t this diamond given by the real sugar daddy, CEO Dong?

According to a certain post, the gem came from the Chen family, and those in the know are aware that the exhibition that day was hosted by the Chen family’s daughter, a real socialite. Look up Canghai Entertainment’s shareholders online, and you’ll find that the Chen family’s daughter is also a shareholder, they’re close friends.

The most valuable gem at the exhibition that day was auctioned off, many people asked about this, but it was said to be reserved and sold, it was most likely reserved by CEO Dong, just ask around and you’ll know.

Disperse, nothing to see here.

This post included pictures from the exhibition that night and a picture of Chen Shang Shang’s shareholding information, and was even confirmed by a well-known rich second-generation heiress in the entertainment industry, solidifying its authenticity.

With the influx of paid comments, public opinion gradually turned.

Dong Ling breathed a sigh of relief, and just as she recovered, Zuo Zhen hurriedly called, asking if she should remove the trending hashtags.

“CEO Dong, Mingzhi accidentally liked a post, she unliked it, but it was screenshotted, and it’s trending, should we remove it?”

Dong Ling quickly checked the liked post, saw the ID and felt numb, and felt even more numb after reading the content.

@PleaseSendMeOffToMyGrave: It’s so strange, CEO Dong has already clearly stated that she is Song Jie’s sugar daddy, and also Song Jie’s wife, who else would she promote but Song Jie? Why don’t you people believe it, always making up rumors? The truth is right in front of you, what’s there to discuss?

“Have them suppress the trending topic for now.”

Dong Ling knew that if the topic suddenly disappeared, netizens would quickly become suspicious, it was better to reduce its popularity, and it would naturally die down later.

Dong Ling hung up the phone, and seeing the notification pop up on her screen, her stomach suddenly clenched.

[3 unread messages]

[Song Mingzhi]: Wife

Chapter 46: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Intertwined Necks

Sometimes Dong Ling thought being completely drunk wasn’t so bad, it was better than this swaying, floating feeling, seemingly aware of what she was doing, yet also not quite.

Throwing away reason, hesitation, and shame, following her heart’s desires without reservation, her emotional perception shielded from negativity, leaving only joy and sweetness.

When the tip of her tongue touched the soft cheek, Dong Ling’s mind went blank.

The romantic foreign song played in her ears, the lingering scent of tequila seemed to seep into her skin, bringing a numbing intoxication.

In the space of a breath, she was pushed onto the sofa, her back pressed against the backrest, a slight pain.

It wasn’t enough to sober her up, but she still let out a short, soft moan.

A sound of pain and softness, coated with the sweet fragrance of alcohol, like a candied fruit.

She tilted her head back and met Song Mingzhi’s gaze, who was looking down at her.

Song Mingzhi’s hand pressed on her shoulder, the silk bathrobe slippery against her skin, wrinkling under the pressure, sliding down slightly, revealing her round shoulder.

The singing in the movie turned into humming, lingering and tender, like shadows in the flickering light, with an almost imperceptible aggressiveness.

Dong Ling’s eyes were filled with confusion, her large, bright eyes hazy.

She still didn’t understand the situation and reached out to touch the other person’s cheek again, her fingertip gently caressing the mole.

Song Mingzhi thought, Dong Ling was drunk again.

Perhaps not completely drunk, she had seen her truly drunk before, and also seen her slightly tipsy.

She didn’t know if Dong Ling was using the alcohol as an excuse, or being emboldened by it, but either way, it was her intention.

An unnatural itch spread across her cheek. Song Mingzhi looked at Dong Ling’s porcelain white neck and collarbone, exposed as she tilted her head back, her throat moving slightly.

She smelled the faint fragrance on Dong Ling, a citrus scent, from the bath products in her bathroom.

This bathrobe was also bought by Song Mingzhi, and after Dong Ling wore it last time, she considered it Dong Ling’s exclusive bathrobe.

These tangible things seemed to transform into intangible emotions at this moment, a strange sense of possessiveness and satisfaction filling her heart.

Dong Ling was lying on her sofa, wearing her bathrobe, drinking the cocktail she made, as if she had also become her possession.

The finger circling on her cheek suddenly moved, sliding down to her lips.

Song Mingzhi bit it, looked into those watery eyes, and thought, perhaps she was also drunk.

If she wasn’t drunk, how could she be so indulgent, acting so unlike her usual self?

Her warm breath brushed against Dong Ling’s neck, making it flush.

Dong Ling looked at the chandelier in the center of the living room, as if mesmerized by the dazzling lights.

The fabric slid down to her elbow, Dong Ling’s fingers crumpled the fabric of Song Mingzhi’s shirt on her back, she wanted to say something, but only a soft murmur came out.

“Sister…”

Dong Ling didn’t know why she called her that, but it felt incredibly natural… for reasons she couldn’t explain.

Dong Ling felt like she had drunk many Tequila Sunrises, soaked in orange juice and grenadine syrup, consumed by the alcohol.

But things didn’t go as she wished, the pressure on the side of her neck didn’t lessen, but increased.

Dong Ling was a pampered flower, raised in a wealthy family, she couldn’t endure pain, tears quickly welled up in her eyes, threatening to spill.

“I waited for so long tonight…” She said out of the blue, her fingers clutching Song Mingzhi’s clothes, her fingertips pink, and then she said, “Song Mingzhi, it hurts…”

It actually didn’t hurt that much, but amplified by her emotions, three points of pain became seven.

Song Mingzhi, leaning over her, paused slightly, gently kissed the side of her neck, and wiped the tears from Dong Ling’s face with her thumb.

The tears added a touch of fragility to her glamorous features, her slightly lowered eyes, like a delicate hibiscus flower in the rain, both alluring and cold.

“Mmm…”

The spicy taste of tequila lingered on her tongue, spreading through her senses to every part of her body.

Dong Ling’s hand slid down weakly, their intertwined figures reflected on the wall.

Neither of them had much experience, even accidentally bumping into each other would make them stiffen, even in their intoxicated state, they were clumsy.

They didn’t seem to be naturally gifted, Dong Ling bit her lower lip, suppressing the lingering tingling sensation.

A thin layer of moisture coated her lips, making them even redder.

Dong Ling covered her eyes with her hand, her cheeks flushed, unable to control herself.

Song Mingzhi gently ruffled her thick hair, looking at her slightly evasive posture, and didn’t say anything.

“Finish your drink and then go to sleep.”

Song Mingzhi opened a bottle of rum, mixed a Mojito, and handed it to Dong Ling.

Her wrinkled shirt clung to her body, paired with her messy hair and languid expression, a different kind of allure than when she was sober.

Dong Ling’s dreams were filled with the sweet taste of rum.

The next day, as soon as Dong Ling opened her eyes, she heard 021 chattering in her mind.

[Girl, do you know what happened yesterday…]

Dong Ling interrupted it: [I was drunk.]

[I know you were drunk, it’s not the first time…]

“I said, I was drunk.”

Dong Ling didn’t communicate with it mentally, but spoke out loud.

She didn’t want to hear it.

Dong Ling wasn’t completely blackout drunk yesterday, but she was truly out of her mind.

“What did I do…”

Dong Ling ruffled her hair, feeling irritated.

“And what did she do…”

What, were they both drunk and lost their minds?

Dong Ling: [021, Song Mingzhi is straight, right?]

021 replied with certainty: [Of course, this is a heterosexual romance novel, the female lead is naturally straight, if the female lead is gay, how can she fall in love with the male lead?]

Dong Ling wasn’t convinced, she really couldn’t bring herself to believe it.

Perhaps because she didn’t want to remember too clearly, her brain blurred the memories of last night, leaving only Song Mingzhi’s body temperature, her fragrance, and that lingering French song.

How she returned to the guest room, how she fell asleep, Song Mingzhi’s expression and attitude, she couldn’t remember any of it.

Dong Ling changed her clothes and washed up, tilted her head in front of the mirror, saw the faint marks on her neck and collarbone, and pulled up her clothes unnaturally.

Her heart was in even more turmoil, she didn’t even want to think about it.

Dong Ling wasn’t someone who avoided things, but after meeting Song Mingzhi, she seemed reluctant to examine her own feelings.

Coming out of the bathroom, Dong Ling saw Song Mingzhi in the kitchen.

Song Mingzhi was making sandwiches, she met Dong Ling’s gaze and smiled.

“Good morning.”

Dong Ling greeted her and sat down at the dining table, waiting to be served.

Her expression was normal, as always.

The smile on Song Mingzhi’s lips faded slightly, she said good morning, and continued cutting vegetables with her head lowered.

Before this, she had mentally rehearsed many times, perhaps the girl would think they had crossed a line last night, that they were now in some kind of intimate relationship, perhaps the girl would be happy about her unrestrained reaction and confess her feelings. Even though she still had many things to deal with, she was willing to disrupt her plans for this, she had even thought about how to reveal her identity to the girl.

But she hadn’t expected this outcome, her joy suddenly turning into emptiness, Song Mingzhi pursed her lips, even more confused.

She had thought the girl was being cautious because she was afraid of her rejection, but why was she still avoiding her after she had already responded?

Was this a skilled hunter’s tactic of playing hard to get, or was it because the timing wasn’t right?

Song Mingzhi had always been someone who liked to wait and plan, in all aspects of her life.

She liked to strategize before acting, she would sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, be the fisherman, be the oriole.

“I’ll pour the milk.”

She placed the plate in front of Dong Ling, her expression unchanged.

Dong Ling looked at Song Mingzhi’s normal expression, feeling a little suspicious.

She glanced at the slightly emptier liquor cabinet, thinking that last night wasn’t an illusion.

Could it be that Song Mingzhi had also drunk too much and forgotten?

Dong Ling wasn’t sure, but she hoped so.

After breakfast, she left as if fleeing, the task completion notification from the system her only consolation.

[Task complete, current main storyline progress: 45%.]

Dong Ling originally wanted to encourage herself, they were one step closer, but thinking about how they would get even closer in the future, she felt a little melancholic again.

She went to Nanjia Hospital and visited Wen Han, who was still lying in bed.

Wen Han’s condition remained the same, quietly lying there as if asleep.

Dong Ling didn’t know where his soul had gone, or when he would return, this was beyond the realm of ordinary people, she could only hope that 021 could contact headquarters soon. But it couldn’t be rushed, she should focus on the matters at hand first.

“A Mysterious Person’s Funeral” exceeded Dong Ling’s box office expectations, bringing her a huge profit, buying a 70 million diamond wouldn’t be a problem.

Dong Ling immediately contacted Chen Shang Shang, who gave her a friend’s discount, even more than the previously promised amount.

“It’s good that you came to me now, I’m going on a trip with Tang Qianxi later.”

“Such leisure?”

Chen Shang Shang said relaxedly: “After all, we’re not as busy as you. My family’s exhibition just ended, her gallery can run without her, so we’re going out to have some fun.”

“That’s great, have a good time.”

Dong Ling felt a little envious, she also wanted to travel, but she couldn’t find the time, and there wasn’t anywhere she particularly wanted to go, so she dismissed the thought.

“Bring me back a souvenir. By the way, want to get a manicure before you leave? You must be tired of your current one, I’ve found some nice new styles.”

“Aren’t you doing it yourself?”

Dong Ling looked at Chen Shang Shang’s bare nails and raised an eyebrow.

“I specifically removed them for the trip.”

“Oh,” Dong Ling nodded, then paused and said, “Don’t people usually dress up when they go on trips?”

Chen Shang Shang waved her hand dismissively: “It interferes with enjoying good food, you wouldn’t understand.”

Dong Ling shrugged, okay, she didn’t understand.

After retrieving the gem from the vault with Chen Shang Shang, Dong Ling rushed to present it to Song Mingzhi.

Besides her eagerness to show off her treasure, the one-month deadline was approaching, she had to complete this task quickly.

“It’s too expensive.”

Song Mingzhi looked at the obviously valuable diamond necklace, her expression more apprehensive than surprised.

“I thought it was perfect for you the moment I saw it, so I had to buy it for you. If you like it, then it’s a worthwhile gift, and if you don’t, then I don’t think it’s expensive at all.”

Even without Chen Shang Shang’s discount, a 70 million diamond necklace was expensive, but for Dong Ling, if Song Mingzhi didn’t like it, it really wasn’t a big deal.

As for the 3% main storyline progress, she would leave it to fate, if Song Mingzhi didn’t accept it, Dong Ling wouldn’t force her.

Song Mingzhi was good at reading people, but she couldn’t tell if this was genuine or just sweet talk.

Chapter 45: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Tequila Sunrise

Dong Ling thought Xuan Du must be homophobic, otherwise, why would she ride away on her motorcycle, cursing, with a shocked expression after hearing those words?

“Go to Song Mingzhi’s house, and remember, you didn’t see anything tonight.”

Dong Ling looked at the driver in front, those words couldn’t be heard by others, especially not Song Mingzhi’s family.

The driver nodded repeatedly and quickly changed routes, heading towards Song Mingzhi’s house.

Arriving downstairs, Dong Ling waved the driver away.

For her current self, this task couldn’t be easier, just spending a night at Song Mingzhi’s house.

Dong Ling confidently rang the doorbell, but there was no response.

021: [Is she not home?]

Dong Ling pressed her temples, realizing she had been a bit careless, she had forgotten to call in advance.

After a long period of ringing, a mechanical female voice came from the phone.

“Sorry, the number you dialed is currently unavailable, please try again later…”

Dong Ling frowned slightly, hung up, and called Zuo Zhen.

“Is Mingzhi still at the event venue?”

“No, she doesn’t have any events scheduled tonight.” Zuo Zhen sensed the hidden meaning in Dong Ling’s words and asked hesitantly, “Should I try contacting her for you?”

Dong Ling agreed and hung up the phone.

Zuo Zhen called back two minutes later: “CEO Dong, I can’t reach her, no one answered the phone, I’ve already called Xiao Tan, Xiao Tan said Mingzhi didn’t let her follow, she doesn’t know where Mingzhi is.”

Many unpleasant possibilities flashed through Dong Ling’s mind, not because she had a wild imagination, but because Song Mingzhi was the female lead, there were bound to be some troubles involving her.

Missing? Kidnapped? Encountered some underworld prince, the second male lead?

021 immediately clarified: [There’s no such character in this novel, girl, be reasonable, the novel doesn’t say the female lead is in danger at this time.]

Dong Ling felt slightly reassured and said: “I understand, you don’t have to look for her.”

Dong Ling thought Song Mingzhi probably had some personal matters to attend to, although she didn’t know what it was.

Dong Ling put her phone aside and stared blankly at Song Mingzhi’s closed door.

If Song Mingzhi’s phone was unreachable all night, then this task couldn’t be completed.

Dong Ling didn’t leave, but casually sat down by Song Mingzhi’s door, resting her head on her hand and looking at the floor.

Turning around and leaving was the best option, Dong Ling knew that if Song Mingzhi saw the missed calls, she would definitely call back, and then she could complete the task later. If Song Mingzhi didn’t call back, it probably meant she hadn’t seen her phone or hadn’t returned home, even if she waited here, the task couldn’t be completed.

Dong Ling didn’t like wasting time, but she still didn’t move.

Waiting was both anxious and boring, hesitating to leave, simply hoping for a bit of luck, worried that she would miss an opportunity the moment she left.

Dong Ling’s luck had always been average.

She glanced at the time, 11:20.

She had been playing with her phone for forty minutes, there were no notifications, and the elevator not far away didn’t move.

What was Song Mingzhi doing?

Dong Ling sighed, feeling a little melancholic.

021 said: [Girl, why don’t you try calling again? Just waiting here isn’t a solution.]

021 naturally wanted Dong Ling to complete the task, but in this situation, it felt that just waiting wasn’t going to work.

Dong Ling responded and called again, still no answer.

[021, I think…]

Dong Ling started a sentence, but didn’t finish, hugging her knees and sighing again.

021: [Hmm? Girl, what do you think?]

Dong Ling said absentmindedly: [I think I don’t really know her.]

That’s right, Dong Ling suddenly realized, she didn’t seem to know Song Mingzhi that well.

She didn’t know where Song Mingzhi was from, or who her friends were. When she couldn’t contact Song Mingzhi, she didn’t even have a way to find her.

If their relationship was purely that of a boss and a subordinate, then this was understandable, but Song Mingzhi was her friend.

Or was she?

It was the beginning of summer, the days were hot, but the nights were still cool.

Dong Ling had been sitting on the floor for a long time. A gust of night wind blew by, she touched her cold skin, and her heart felt empty.

She comforted herself inwardly, even close friends had things they couldn’t tell each other, like how she was hiding a big secret from Song Mingzhi, wasn’t she here right now because of this secret?

021: [Don’t really know who? Song Mingzhi?]

021 said with rare embarrassment: [My fault, because my access is restricted, you can’t see the full plot or the female lead’s background.]

Dong Ling knew that this artificial idiot had misunderstood. She had long given up on exploring Song Mingzhi’s past, she wasn’t willing to investigate, after all, that wasn’t how one made friends.

Dong Ling stood up dejectedly, the night wind giving her a headache. She had already had some alcohol tonight, and was then startled by Xuan Du’s reckless act of stopping her car, she might have caught a cold, her head felt heavy.

She thought absentmindedly about He Diesheng’s expression and words tonight, something felt off, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She originally wanted to remind Xuan Du to be wary of He Diesheng, but then she felt it was unnecessary, Xuan Du saw He Diesheng as an enemy, the fact that she came to question her immediately after learning that they had drinks together wasn’t enough of a precaution?

Dong Ling glanced at the quiet night at the end of the corridor and pressed the elevator button.

Coincidentally, just as Dong Ling reached the main entrance, she saw Song Mingzhi getting out of a car not far away.

Dong Ling took two steps forward, realizing her luck wasn’t that bad after all. If she had come down two minutes earlier, she might have missed Song Mingzhi.

She was about to go over and greet her when she saw Song Mingzhi stop by the car. A man got out of the driver’s seat, took a box out of the trunk, and handed it to Song Mingzhi.

They seemed to be talking about something, so Dong Ling didn’t approach and interrupt.

That should be Song Mingzhi’s friend, Dong Ling had never met him before. They were still some distance apart, she could only vaguely see that the man was quite tall, about the same height as Wen Han.

Dong Ling became wary and immediately poked 021, asking: [Dude, that’s not the second male lead, is it?]

Absolutely not, absolutely not, it was absolutely not the time for this. Even if that was the second male lead, without the task system’s instructions, she had to cut off this potential love rival and send him away.

021 thought for a moment and said: [Probably not, the second male lead shouldn’t appear so early, he should still be abroad at this time, he’ll probably return when the male and female leads are about to get engaged.]

Dong Ling was slightly relieved, then her face twisted at the mention of engagement.

The task tonight was to stay the night at Song Mingzhi’s house, would the next task be to have sex with Song Mingzhi? The engagement was bound to happen sooner or later, and after the engagement, wouldn’t it be marriage… Dong Ling felt immense pressure.

Song Mingzhi accepted Wen Qian’s thank-you gift, offered him a few words of advice, and then turned to walk towards the entrance of her building, slightly startled when she saw the slender figure standing under the streetlight.

Under the white light, Dong Ling’s face looked even paler, her clothes thin, she might be cold, her arms wrapped around herself, making her look even more delicate and frail.

She was clearly a pampered, rich flower, but at this moment, she looked somewhat wilted.

Song Mingzhi hurried towards her, holding the box, and their eyes met.

Dong Ling didn’t say anything, but her cat-like eyes were downcast, with a hint of melancholy.

Song Mingzhi asked softly: “Why are you here? Why didn’t you call me?”

“I did, you didn’t answer.”

Song Mingzhi frowned slightly and said apologetically: “I was at a dinner party just now, I didn’t check my phone on the way, I might have set it to silent.”

Song Mingzhi had an important matter to attend to tonight. Wen Qian specifically flew from Jingzhou to discuss business, and she had been talking with Ji Yiling, Wen Qian, and some other important people for several hours, the meeting had just ended.

“Shall we go up? It’s cold at night, and there are mosquitoes.”

Dong Ling nodded and followed Song Mingzhi.

Looking at the box in her arms, she asked curiously: “What is this?”

“Alcohol.”

Dong Ling nodded, sniffed Song Mingzhi, and said: “You’ve been drinking, rum.”

The sweet fragrance of rum was rich, Dong Ling felt her headache easing slightly.

Dong Ling leaned closer, her breath brushing against Song Mingzhi’s neck, making her feel a little itchy, her hand holding the box trembling slightly.

Song Mingzhi opened the door while replying, put the alcohol aside, changed her shoes, and during this time, asked about Dong Ling’s reason for coming.

Dong Ling naturally couldn’t say she was just here to sleep at her place, so she brought up the previous incident.

“I was planning to go home, but Xuan Du went crazy and stopped my car in the middle of the road. If I went home, she would probably follow me, and my parents couldn’t just ignore her, so I came here instead.”

Xuan Du wouldn’t dare confront Song Mingzhi, so Dong Ling could say whatever she wanted.

“Then stay at my place tonight, I’ll go and prepare the guest room.”

“Okay, then I’ll go take a shower first, I have a bit of a headache from the wind.”

Song Mingzhi said naturally, Dong Ling readily agreed, and the matter was settled just like that.

When Dong Ling came out in her bathrobe, Song Mingzhi was arranging the alcohol.

Dong Ling watched, resting her chin on her hand, and smelling the rum on Song Mingzhi, she became even more tempted.

Drinking with the right person made even the finest wine taste better. He Diesheng treated her to good wine tonight, but affected by her mood, it didn’t taste that great.

Song Mingzhi felt her intense gaze and said with a smile: “Want a drink?”

Dong Ling nodded eagerly, her craving already aroused.

Song Mingzhi picked out the best bottle of tequila and took out her bartending tools.

Dong Ling’s eyes lit up: “You even know how to do this?”

Song Mingzhi nodded, her eyes crinkling with amusement: “I won’t disappoint you.”

Song Mingzhi made two drinks for Dong Ling, a Tequila Sunrise and a Frozen Margarita.

The former was sweet and sour with a hint of tequila’s spiciness, the latter icy and refreshing, addictive.

Dong Ling leaned against the bar, her face slightly flushed, watching Song Mingzhi turn on the projector. The living room lights were turned off, leaving only a dim light above the bar.

The French film, in its original language, had a romantic atmosphere. Dong Ling clinked glasses with Song Mingzhi and quietly enjoyed the movie, but her gaze gradually drifted.

The light and shadows played on Song Mingzhi’s profile. Dong Ling unconsciously leaned closer, her gaze fixed on the small mole on Song Mingzhi’s cheek.

Song Mingzhi’s lips were a beautiful shade of red, reminiscent of a mysterious red moon, making one easily think of a noble, elegant, mysterious, and powerful lord in an ancient castle. The mole was like a blooming rose in the moonlight, with a cool-toned beauty, Dong Ling found it extremely sexy.

She narrowed her eyes and lightly licked it with the tip of her tongue.

Chapter 44: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Eroding Boundaries

The current situation was a bit beyond Dong Ling’s expectations. Seeing the screen filled with comments defending her by attacking her, Dong Ling felt a little distressed.

Dong Ling thought for a moment, instead of replying, she silently sent gifts.

In just a few minutes, Dong Ling had sent gifts worth thirty to forty thousand. Seeing such a generous fan supporting their idol, the attitude of some solo fans changed.

Since Dong Ling didn’t say anything more, the CP fans also quieted down and stopped arguing in the live stream chat.

Dong Ling saw that Song Mingzhi had finished eating and immediately closed the live stream page, then typed a message on her phone and held the screen up for Song Mingzhi to see.

She didn’t dare speak again, those CP fans were experts at finding and analyzing clues.

—What are we doing next?

“Is there anywhere you want to go?”

Song Mingzhi held the microphone again and asked Dong Ling.

She knew the game wasn’t over yet, it would last at least a few more hours. She had already explored most of the park while looking for the first two NPCs. If Dong Ling was interested in any of the rides, they could try them together.

“No, anywhere is fine.”

This was a children’s amusement park, Dong Ling couldn’t think of anything she was particularly interested in.

While the two of them chatted slowly, the viewers were going crazy.

[Is there anything I can’t see or hear? Cameraman, turn the camera!]

[I can only see half of Song Jie’s face, I can see her talking, but I can’t hear what she’s saying, so anxious!]

[Wuwuwu Cameraman, please, let me see CEO Dong’s beautiful face.]

[Is this a variety show disguised as a dating show? I wonder if Song Jie will deliberately lose so she can be last, hhhh.]

[A sugar daddy disguising herself to flirt with her canary on a variety show, I’m dead from the sweetness, guys, if this isn’t love!]

Song Mingzhi released the microphone, and the camera followed her as she left the restaurant.

Dong Ling put on her mask and walked beside the cameraman, trying her best to stay out of the shot.

[Hey, where’s CEO Dong? Don’t be shy! We don’t know who you are, you’re wearing a mask, what are you afraid of?!]

[@ProgramTeam, your third NPC has disappeared again, did she run away after being found?]

[If this was deliberately arranged by the production team, interrupting people’s date means you’ll be single!]

[dies laughing Everyone, go to Lu Yiyang’s live stream, there’s a shy miko sister hiding there.]

The viewers and CP fans, curious, flocked to another guest, Lu Yiyang’s, live stream.

Lu Yiyang was looking for his second NPC, his location was next to Song Mingzhi’s, and the camera happened to capture Song Mingzhi’s cameraman, and a certain miko hiding behind him.

[Hahahahahaha, dies laughing, sisters, I thought CEO Dong ran away, it turns out she’s hiding from us.]

[Shh, don’t talk nonsense, we don’t know any CEO Dong, we only know the miko sister.]

[We’re all family, why hide, CEO Dong, come out and play!]

[Hahaha, she looks so soft acting all shy, she also looked so soft holding Jiejie’s hand on the Rainbow Bridge, such a contrast to that domineering beauty that day, it’s even more exciting this way.]

[Where are the writers for this fresh sugar daddy x canary trope?]

[Replying to my lord, I’ve already sent an urgent message for the ladies to draw and write!]

Dong Ling, completely unaware that she had been exposed, followed Song Mingzhi, thinking she was well-hidden.

The children’s amusement park didn’t hold much appeal for Dong Ling, and neither did it for Song Mingzhi.

So she only pretended to be looking for the NPC, strolling and stopping, resting in shady areas.

“I’m a little tired from walking, let’s rest for a while, do you want to hear a story?”

Song Mingzhi said towards the camera, her gaze passing through the lens, meeting Dong Ling’s eyes, who was standing in that direction.

[23333 (lol) Were you really tired from walking?]

[Yes, yes, yes, pretending your wife isn’t here must be very tiring. [Cat emoji]]

[Let me translate Song Jie’s inner thoughts: My wife is tired from walking, I feel sorry for her, let’s rest together.]

[Yes, yes, yes! What story is Jiejie going to tell?]

[Jiejie is finally doing her job properly, no longer the emotionless secret agent from this morning.]

[Sitting nicely and listening to Jiejie tell a story.]

Dong Ling smiled and sat down in a shady spot.

Strangely, she and Song Mingzhi had this kind of unspoken understanding.

Perhaps to match the atmosphere of the children’s amusement park, Song Mingzhi told a fairy tale.

It was an immersive and beautiful story, with the dreamy quality unique to fairy tales, but coming from Song Mingzhi, it seemed to have a different flavor.

Even the wind was captivated, everything felt cool and refreshing.

Song Mingzhi wasn’t speaking directly to the camera, but rather looking dreamily in a certain direction, resting her head on her hand. Some people knew who she was looking at, and were already building houses and dancing in the CP super topic forum. (Celebrating their CP)

The game didn’t last long. Song Mingzhi stalled for time and finally said the slogan.

At the final stage, Dong Ling didn’t say anything, just took off the pouch from her waist and placed it in Song Mingzhi’s hand, like an ordinary staff member.

Song Mingzhi was the winner of this game. At the end, during the lucky draw, Tong Qing enviously praised her memory. Song Mingzhi smiled and brushed it off, her gaze drifting towards a certain direction.

Dong Ling, having changed back into her casual clothes, waved at Song Mingzhi and quickly fled the scene.

She didn’t want to be caught on camera again, she wasn’t wearing a mask now.

When the program aired, the related trending topics about them reached the lower ranks of the hot search list. Dong Ling had already instructed Zuo Zhen, so the popularity of the live stream incident was suppressed, and only Song Mingzhi’s memory was highlighted.

The Song Zhong sisters weren’t discouraged, but rather even more excited.

@PleaseSendMeOff: Hehe, CEO Dong is truly too shy, not even willing to take off her mask, secretly standing to the side, how could she let this trend? This further confirms that it’s CEO Dong herself.

@DeadFromShipping: Hahahaha, dies laughing, a sugar daddy secretly visiting the set is too cute! This can’t be explained unless they’re in the honeymoon phase!

@SweetToDeath: I just visited Song Jie’s biggest fan account, and found that they don’t know about that rich fan with the ID “Jieshi,” that person isn’t even in the super topic forum, so strange.

@PleaseSendMeOff: Maybe she’s a solitary fan who doesn’t like fandom culture, her words are truly unpleasant, and her ID even has something to do with our CEO Dong, how unlucky.

@SongZhongGettingMarriedToday: Excuse me, I even imagined that person being CEO Dong, afraid of affecting her wife’s career, so she stepped forward to dispel the CP fans, but it’s unlikely, judging from her tone, she’s probably Song Jie’s anti-fan.

Dong Ling didn’t know she had been discussed in the super topic forum, she went home to have dinner with her parents and put the matter out of her mind.

Song Mingzhi, after finishing filming, naturally noticed the unusual public opinion, now was the peak of her movie’s popularity and her own, and her and Dong Ling’s CP fans were also gathering, the current level of popularity wasn’t normal.

Song Mingzhi subtly questioned Zuo Zhen and learned the answer, thinking Dong Ling was truly thin-skinned, so she didn’t deliberately bring up the topic in front of the girl.

As more and more people watched the movie, its reputation gradually stabilized, and the box office continued to rise.

Dong Ling was elated, smiling at everyone, her family praised her repeatedly. Dong Ling had to stop her parents from bragging, or they would definitely organize a party to celebrate.

Dong Ling’s good mood came to an abrupt end when she received a call from He Diesheng. It wasn’t anything bad, it was just that Dong Ling instinctively felt uneasy when dealing with these two sisters.

He Diesheng invited her out for a drink that night. Dong Ling originally wanted to refuse, but hearing He Diesheng say that the situation might change soon, she changed her mind.

He Diesheng liked to speak in riddles, and this habit had only worsened after eight years. Dong Ling hadn’t heard any news, so to find out, she felt she had to go.

The place He Diesheng chose was called Mi Tang, a quiet place amidst the bustling city. Dong Ling had walked past this street many times without noticing this small tavern.

The drinks in the tavern were all high-quality, but Dong Ling didn’t come for the drinks, she was waiting for He Diesheng to speak.

“It’s good that you were willing to come out for a drink with me, otherwise I might have to drink alone today.”

He Diesheng smiled and clinked glasses with Dong Ling, a melancholic look on her face.

“Don’t say that, you’re not short of friends? As long as you’re willing, Miss Li and Mr. Chen would definitely be happy to come.”

Dong Ling said with a smile. Although she didn’t want to get involved in the matters between He Diesheng and Xuan Du, just like she told Song Mingzhi, He Diesheng might very well use her.

Since she had such concerns, how could she not be on guard and investigate?

He Diesheng had only been back for a few days, and she had already connected with Miss Li and the second young master of the Chen family, riding horses, playing ball, and drinking together. She didn’t seem to be up to anything, but Dong Ling knew she wouldn’t do anything pointless.

“New friends aren’t the same as old friends, there are some things I can only tell you.”

He Diesheng’s expression was calm, with no sign of embarrassment from being seen through or anger from being investigated.

“After I returned home, A Du threw a tantrum, just like when she used to rely on her connections to act arrogantly.”

He Diesheng’s words were barbed, it was unclear whether she was referring to Xuan Du’s mother or Mayor He.

“But the current situation doesn’t allow her to act up. The inspection team from Jingzhou is here on a secret visit, and they didn’t come for no reason, you must not have heard any news, since it was not related to you and there was no way you could find out. But in this game of chess, one move affects the whole board, she has to hold back, it’s quite amusing.”

Dong Ling listened to her with a calm expression, not responding.

He Diesheng didn’t seem to expect her to say anything and continued: “I told her, ‘Suddenly dreaming of the past in the deep of night, only dreaming of idle days, not of you,’ guess how she reacted?”

Dong Ling raised an eyebrow, still not responding.

He Diesheng finished the wine in her glass and said with a smile: “She didn’t know it wasn’t a complete poem, she said I was being sarcastic and threatened me.”

“But I wasn’t lying, I was crazy for a few years, I dreamed of everything, but never of her, so after I woke up, I thought about her every day.”

He Diesheng’s expression was calm, but a coldness was hidden within. Her fingers, gripping the wine glass, were so tight they turned white, then, just as the glass was about to shatter, she loosened her grip.

“She doesn’t understand the bond between Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi, anyway, you two aren’t like that.”

Dong Ling had a bad feeling, but she didn’t know where it came from. (Yuan Zhen and Bai Juyi were famous poets and close friends.)

He Diesheng didn’t comment, pouring herself another drink.

The drinking session didn’t last long, most of the time they drank in silence, with He Diesheng occasionally saying a few words.

“The matter originated in Jingzhou, but Beihai, Qingzhou, and Haicheng are all affected, things are unsettled recently, it’s best for your family to stay away from certain things.”

Dong Ling asked: “Does Mayor He know?”

He Diesheng smiled slyly: “Guess?”

Dong Ling looked at her without answering, and the drinking session ended.

Dong Ling went home with a troubled mind. Halfway there, the driver suddenly slammed on the brakes.

Dong Ling lurched forward, and just as she frowned and was about to ask what was happening, she saw a woman get off a motorcycle aggressively, the woman took off her helmet, revealing a hostile face.

“Are you crazy? Stopping a car in the middle of the road?”

“That bitch He Diesheng went drinking with you, what did she tell you?”

When it came to putting on a show, Xuan Du was no match for He Diesheng.

Dong Ling was tipsy and said listlessly: “Nothing.”

“I don’t believe you, she specifically asked you out for a drink, and in such a secluded place, how could she not have said anything? Dong Ling, you know about the past, you can’t side with her and gang up on me.”

Xuan Du’s tone was anxious, her emotions always unstable when it came to He Diesheng.

“I won’t do anything to you if you don’t do anything bad, as for her, she didn’t tell me anything.”

“It’s just a small-time actress, why are you so worked up?”

Dong Ling didn’t want to talk to her and said to the driver: “Ignore her, keep driving.”

“We’re not done talking yet, where are you going?!”

Xuan Du slapped the car window, as if ready to stop the car again.

“I’m going to sleep with your ‘small-time actress,’ do you want to come watch us make love?”

Dong Ling, recalling Xuan Du’s ridiculous expression when she thought she was playing around with women, said without hesitation.

[Task: Successfully stay the night at the female lead’s house. Completing this task will reward 3% progress.]

The sudden mechanical voice in her mind startled Dong Ling.

Hearing the task clearly, Dong Ling breathed a sigh of relief, she almost thought it was “Successfully have sex with the female lead,” thank goodness.

Chapter 43: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – I’m Dead from the Sweetness

Initially, Song Mingzhi was pleasantly surprised to see Dong Ling, but she just assumed Dong Ling knew she was filming here today and came to visit.

Only when she received the “mask” clue card did she realize what true surprise meant.

The production team wouldn’t have taken the liberty of having Dong Ling be an NPC in the game, it must have been Dong Ling’s own request, she might have even offered something in return.

This wasn’t just a simple visit to the set. When Dong Ling held her hand, the joy in her heart reached its peak.

The live stream chat was flooded with question marks, even viewers from other live streams poured in.

[What kind of godly operation is this? I suddenly feel like the screen has turned pink.]

[I was planning to come in and rant, but I suddenly stopped, this atmosphere…]

[Wow, you can even play like this? I thought the game was going to end early today.]

[Wait… isn’t this a civilian girlfriend openly showing off her affection?]

[As a solo stan, just a reminder, ship whoever you want, but don’t take it too seriously and don’t spread rumors about my Jiejie’s sexual orientation.]

[I’m dead from the sweetness, I’m dead! It was just holding hands, but I feel like I’m going to faint from the sweetness.]

[Wuwuwu My Song Zhong, is it really going to be BE like this? (BE – Bad Ending)]

[What nonsense are those saying my CP is BE talking about? It won’t be BE until there’s an official announcement, thank you.]

[Where are my detective girls! Can you tell us or not?! Is this our CEO Dong?!]

[Taking screenshots, taking screenshots, stop arguing, stop arguing.]

Rainbow Bridge wasn’t long, it only took a few steps for an adult to cross from the middle.

Song Mingzhi’s hand was warm, Dong Ling thought it was probably because hers was too cold.

During her frozen state just now, her palms were covered in cold sweat.

Wait… cold sweat.

After they stopped, Dong Ling immediately withdrew her hand.

This was too impolite. Dong Ling tried hard to suppress her instinctive apology and conveyed her apologies with her eyes.

Song Mingzhi was slightly startled by the sudden emptiness in her hand, but seeing Dong Ling’s apologetic look, she nodded slightly in understanding.

The girl was probably a little shy in front of the camera.

“Have you had lunch? Want to eat together?”

Song Mingzhi saw that it was almost lunchtime, but she didn’t know when Dong Ling arrived or if she was hungry.

[My heartless Song Jie, she wasn’t like this when we were urging her to eat earlier, wuwuwu.]

[Is the program team allowed to do this? Isn’t this cheating?]

[I’m dying of laughter, some people don’t know the meaning of cheating, do they? My Jiejie played the game fair and square, how is it cheating because a staff member is her friend?]

[Ooh, the eating broadcast is coming! I’m looking forward to seeing Jiejie take off her mask!]

[Watching this live stream, I almost thought I was watching a dating show…]

[Wait, who is this Song Mingzhi? I don’t know her, what are her works? Came in to watch the fun and it’s all about shipping CPs, is she a celebrity who relies on CP bonuses?]

[“A Mysterious Person’s Funeral” is currently showing in theaters, anyone with a brain would search it up, don’t think you are the world, okay?]

[As a CP fan who has been watching the live stream all morning, I’m dead from the sweetness, this contrast is too cute, cold and indifferent to everything except for this girl, changing directions, smiling, chasing after her, and holding hands, I’m drowning in sugar, guys.]

Dong Ling thought for a moment and nodded.

Song Mingzhi couldn’t leave work today, and neither could she, after all, this was a live stream, not a recording, it couldn’t be edited.

It wasn’t a big deal to eat while wearing a mask, she could just have the camera focus on Song Mingzhi.

The production team breathed a sigh of relief, knowing Song Mingzhi had everything under control, and immediately had staff members lead them to the lunch area for filming.

Looking at the two people walking side by side in front of the camera, the director felt a twinge of envy.

He originally thought this was just the investor having some fun, but now, it seemed a bit like using company funds for a date. But it was someone else’s boss and someone else’s artist, so it didn’t matter to them, as long as the show had topics and popularity.

And this also gave the director some inspiration, it wouldn’t be bad to do this in the future, maybe he could even launch a new project, a dating variety show.

The midday sun was scorching, Dong Ling shielded her eyes with her hand, feeling the sweat on her face under the mask, uncomfortable.

Due to filming requirements, the place where the guests had their meals wasn’t the restaurant where tourists ate, but a private area.

When Song Mingzhi arrived, Tong Qing happened to come out.

“Teacher Song, why are you so late? The second task is too difficult, did you find it?”

Tong Qing fanned herself while talking, her eyes quickly glancing at the masked woman in a miko costume standing aside.

Song Mingzhi nodded and replied: “I found it.”

Tong Qing was about to offer some comfort, saying it was normal not to find it because it was very difficult, but hearing Song Mingzhi say she found it, her eyes widened in surprise.

“You found it so quickly? Then you’ll definitely finish the task very quickly.”

The corners of Song Mingzhi’s lips curved slightly upwards, and she said: “Perhaps.”

Tong Qing cheered herself up energetically: “Then we have to work hard too!”

[I wonder how Tong Qing will feel after watching the replay, 233333]

[Girl, wake up, your Teacher Song’s third NPC is standing right in front of her, she’s just one step away from winning.]

[Hahahaha, is this playing possum? What a power move.]

[My Jiejie’s sly look is quite charming, hahaha.]

[Although the camera isn’t facing the miko sister, I think she must be holding back her laughter, hahaha.]

Dong Ling wasn’t holding back her laughter, but she did think Song Mingzhi was a bit mischievous.

She seemed like a dignified, elegant, kind-hearted person, but Dong Ling knew she could be playful sometimes, she had teased her when they first met.

But Song Mingzhi’s teasing never made one angry, like snowflakes suddenly falling from a branch, startling you, but not annoying.

The food in front of Song Mingzhi was bought by her assistant according to her usual preferences. Zuo Zhen, mindful of the program, specifically told Xiao Tan not to buy anything too expensive, just moderately priced food.

Three dishes, a soup, and a box of rice, it looked delicious.

Because they didn’t know Dong Ling would be there, Dong Ling ate the food provided by the program team, a standard business lunchbox, not fancy, but not bad either.

Song Mingzhi glanced at it and then swapped their lunchboxes, intending to eat Dong Ling’s.

“Hey… no need, I don’t have much of an appetite, anything is fine.”

Dong Ling was startled and stopped Song Mingzhi.

Based on Dong Ling’s usual spending habits, she had indeed never eaten this kind of business lunchbox before, but it wasn’t inedible, Song Mingzhi’s action made her a little flustered.

Song Mingzhi held the microphone again and said: “Even if I have to suffer, I can’t let my boss suffer.”

Dong Ling then realized that although she and Song Mingzhi interacted as friends, she was still nominally Song Mingzhi’s boss, there was an employer-employee relationship between them. They were both smart, it wouldn’t be right to eat the better food and let the boss eat the lower-grade one in front of the cameras.

“It’s okay, the cameras are rolling.”

They weren’t in the shot at this moment. The audience, looking at the empty table and the suddenly silent live stream, were letting their imaginations run wild.

[Is that my CEO Dong!!! I really think that’s CEO Dong’s voice!]

[Song Zhong sisters, quickly investigate! We have the voice, we have the lips, quickly compare!]

[Turning sadness into joy, guys, I almost thought there was a new CP sweeter than the one I’m shipping, but it turned out to be the real deal, what a sweet plot twist, hahahahaha!]

[Based on the miko sister’s words, Song Jie was definitely planning to do something, but she was stopped, does it have something to do with the food?]

[Aaaaa, I’m dying of anxiety, cameraman, can you be a little more perceptive? Don’t you know who to focus on?]

[The style of this live stream is truly unique…]

[This sister has created a new way to play this variety show, turning a competitive game into a sugar-fest, is there any justice?!]

After a while, the sound returned to the live stream.

Song Mingzhi appeared in the shot, taking the food out of the bags one by one.

Even without the comments, anyone with eyes could see that these dishes didn’t come from the same restaurant.

The first box contained Eight Treasure Duck, the second box was scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Not to say anything bad about scrambled eggs with tomatoes, but it was clearly out of place.

[I’m tired of saying the word “doting.”]

[This old servant is tired of saying “so sweet.”]

[Song Jie is amazing, she didn’t even say anything, I counted, from their first encounter until now, she’s only said two or three sentences to the miko sister, and they were all very ordinary, not even remotely ambiguous when taken out of context, but she somehow makes it seem so doting, how does she do it?]

[Am I the only one focused on Song Jie’s fingers? So beautiful, wuwuwu.]

[Um, isn’t this inappropriate? I’m shy, how can you expose your sexual organs in front of me?]

[Sister upstairs, put on some clothes, the FBI will be here in three seconds.]

Dong Ling didn’t know what the comments had become, she took off her mask off-camera and started eating slowly.

She really didn’t have much of an appetite in the heat, and after eating about half, she stopped and watched Song Mingzhi eat quietly.

As for how to continue the game in the afternoon, Dong Ling wasn’t sure, she would just follow Song Mingzhi.

She took out her phone to watch Song Mingzhi’s live stream and was shocked by the comments.

[Report! 99% sure the miko sister is CEO Dong!]

[Back from the super topic, feeling lightheaded and flushed, I declare them a match made in heaven.]

[Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh！ I can only express myself as a screaming marmot now!]

[Song Zhong sisters are awesome!!!]

[Honestly, as a career fan, I hate it when my idol is shipped with someone, but… this is too good, too good!]

Dong Ling immediately went to the super topic forum and saw the pinned post with the most likes and reposts.

A talented CP fan had taken a screenshot of her voice from just now and compared it with her previous video, the match was very high.

Dong Ling felt numb, sisters, are you guys forensic experts?

Dong Ling wanted to escape, but she couldn’t. Thinking of being watched all afternoon, Dong Ling became restless.

She thought for a moment and started spending money to clear the screen.

[Focus on Jiejie herself, can we not ship random CPs?]

The screen was silent for a second, then the comments exploded.

[??? Who are you calling random?]

[Do you have a problem with our CEO Dong?]

[You can defend your idol, but why are you dragging others down? Go die, CEO Dong is Song Jie’s boss, who are you?]

Dong Ling felt a pang of guilt, sorry, Wen Han.

Look at this hat, it’s so green and wide.

Chapter 42: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – What Can’t I Hear?

Song Mingzhi had a very good memory.

In certain situations, she could even remember specific moments very clearly, as if plucked from the past, replaying them repeatedly in her mind.

This symptom was somewhat similar to hyperthymesia, but Song Mingzhi’s case wasn’t that extreme. It was just that after being trafficked as a child, her memory became better than before, perhaps because she couldn’t remember anything before that except her name, so she paid extra attention to later events.

Song Mingzhi remembered that warm afternoon, Dong Ling drunk, the smooth and beautiful lines of her calves beneath her skirt, the loose chain, like a rope pulling at her memories, clearly visible.

Recalling it again, she could almost smell the scent of alcohol and the warmth of Dong Ling’s breath near her ear.

And her loose black hair, flushed cheeks, and confused, innocent eyes.

Memories had colors.

Those ankles wrapped in straps were still vivid in her mind, the interweaving of white and blue, the shape of her protruding ankle bones and the curve of her foot arched in the high heels, she remembered them very clearly.

She saw the figure on the flower-vine swing from afar and only felt a sense of familiarity, her intuition pulling her closer, and her guess was confirmed as she approached.

The person sitting on the swing was wearing a cat face mask, only her lips and chin visible, paired with her attire, she looked like a Japanese shrine maiden.

Song Mingzhi met her eyes and confirmed her guess.

Seeing her smile and actions, she knew Dong Ling didn’t want to be exposed, so she smiled back and walked towards her original destination.

The cameraman quickly followed, Tong Qing was a little unsure, she glanced at the woman who had left the swing, only her back visible, and went to search for her own task location.

[Hey, hey, hey? Why did she leave again? Do they know each other?]

[Although we can’t see her face, she looks like a beauty!]

[Song Jie actually smiled, she’s been expressionless the whole time, it must be someone she knows and is familiar with!]

[Blindly guessing CEO Dong! Not very subtle, cameraman, you’re not doing your job, you didn’t even give us a clear shot of the beautiful sister.]

[Where are our eagle-eyed detectives! Compare and analyze quickly! If it’s really CEO Dong… I can’t, I think I’m going to faint.]

Dong Ling looked down at the comments on her phone, she didn’t care if they recognized her or not, she wouldn’t admit it anyway.

She didn’t admit it last time with the comparison pictures, although the CP fans had already decided, but kissing the female lead with camera angles was part of the male lead’s script, what did it have to do with her, the vicious female supporting character?

What she was worried about now was that the task system hadn’t given her the reward yet, her mind was empty, no mechanical voice, but the countdown was clearly 24 hours, it was still far from the task deadline, and she would receive a notification if the task failed after accepting it.

Dong Ling couldn’t help but ask: [021, is it delayed again?]

021 replied: [No, tasks with time limits within a few days usually aren’t delayed. Delays usually occur with tasks that have time limits of a month or longer and more complex judgment criteria.]

Like that script task with a 5% progress reward, the task system had to confirm that the movie brought popularity and traffic to the female lead, that it was a successful work, before giving the reward.

Dong Ling felt a little empty, so her sudden appearance on the show wasn’t a surprise to Song Mingzhi?

It was quite normal, this level of surprise wasn’t enough.

Dong Ling tugged at the corners of her lips, feeling her previous idea was a bit naive.

She had come excitedly to join in the fun, but now, Dong Ling was no longer in the mood, even feeling a little irritated and wanting to leave.

But this thought only lasted for a moment before disappearing, Dong Ling’s mind was a little chaotic, so she didn’t even think about how Song Mingzhi recognized her so quickly.

Dong Ling moved according to the director’s instructions through the earpiece. This was the frustrating part of this program.

While the guests were searching for the second NPC, every time they went to the wrong location, the three NPCs would move a certain distance. Even if some lucky guests encountered the three NPCs in advance, unless they found the second NPC immediately, it was impossible to return to the original location and find the third NPC directly.

Dong Ling walked forward thoughtfully, still thinking about how to complete the task, what would count as a surprise for Song Mingzhi.

Only when she stopped according to the director’s instructions did she realize where she was.

This was a place called Rainbow Bridge, not a ride, but more like a pedestrian overpass, painted in rainbow colors on both sides, connecting two areas.

Because it was a children’s amusement park, it wasn’t very high, about two or three stories, the railings on both sides were relatively high, effectively preventing children from falling, and the glass of the enclosed walkway was also painted with small rainbows.

Dong Ling was afraid of heights, even at this height, she felt a little dizzy looking down.

“CEO Dong, you don’t have to move from this location, just wait for Xiao Song (Song Mingzhi) to find you.”

Dong Ling responded and stopped looking down.

The children coming and going weren’t afraid at all, some even running back and forth excitedly on the Rainbow Bridge. Dong Ling took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and focused on the small rainbow in front of her.

Dong Ling was actually quite proud, she would rather endure it than let others see her fear, even if they couldn’t possibly see it.

If she had just spoken up, the program team would have immediately arranged for her to be an NPC in a different location, but Dong Ling didn’t say anything. It wasn’t the middle of the bridge, but on one side, so it wasn’t a big deal.

She figured that the reason she was so comfortable around Song Mingzhi, besides her being the female lead and her personality, was because she had embarrassed herself countless times in front of Song Mingzhi.

By now, she didn’t care anymore, she had no face left to lose.

She couldn’t define Song Mingzhi as just a friend, after all, in her heart, Song Mingzhi was different from Chen Shang Shang and Tang Qianxi.

The connection between them was difficult to define, like her relationship with Xuan Du, and with He Diesheng.

To distract herself, Dong Ling put on her earphones again and started watching Song Mingzhi’s live stream.

Song Mingzhi had already found the second NPC by the fountain and was receiving her task.

[You call this a fountain??? Dog program team, come get scolded!]

[We’re all fools, I knew the program team was tricky, but I didn’t expect them to be this tricky.]

[I really didn’t expect this thing to be called a fountain…]

[Damn, she’s really fast, Tong Qing next door is still looking for ducks, already starting to imagine how tricky her “duck” clue is…]

There was a drawing area in the children’s amusement park, a large drawing board where many children could draw together, and on the back of this drawing board, there was a cat dancing in a fountain.

Keyword: fountain.

Dong Ling’s eye twitched, wasn’t this too absurd?

Because the second NPC was difficult to find, there was no need to answer any questions, they could directly receive the pouch containing the badge and the clue card.

Song Mingzhi took the card and saw the keyword on it.

—Mask.

Song Mingzhi suddenly had a realization and strode quickly in a certain direction.

[What’s happening, what’s happening, help, can someone explain?]

[Why is Song Jie running? Slow down! The cameraman can’t keep up!]

[Looks like she figured it out…]

[Looks like she figured it out…]

[What did she figure out?]

[The clues are connected, not independent. The second one is a fountain, related to the first clue, “cat,” so the third one…]

[It’s the cat face mask! The one Song Jie saw before!]

[OMG, OMG!]

[Song Zhong sisters, can you tell us?! Is that CEO Dong or not?!]

[Don’t make things difficult for our detectives, the previous shots didn’t focus on her, we can’t see clearly at all.]

Although Dong Ling had added filter words, she could still glean some clues from the comments, and she thought with satisfaction, it’s good that you can’t see clearly.

[Ahhhhhh! Song Jie’s running speed, if this isn’t love, then what is it! I’m so invested in this CP, not Song Zhong, but this one, it feels so right, female celebrity x visiting civilian girlfriend.]

[…But why can’t it be another female celebrity? Showing off their affection so secretly.]

[Regardless of whether it’s a friend or not, that person seems quite special to Song Jie, otherwise, how could Song Jie recognize her at a glance, and even smile, and now she’s running so fast?]

[Song Jie changing her course of action just for this person… It’s over, sisters, I’m hooked, I’m living here in Song Mingzhi’s live stream today!]

The Song Zhong girls knew their ship wasn’t officially recognized, and it was normal for a celebrity to have multiple CP pairings, so they remained silent, remembering to keep their excitement within their own circle.

Dong Ling, seeing herself being assigned two more identities, fell into contemplation.

She didn’t even release a video this time, didn’t even show her full face, Song Mingzhi just smiled, was it necessary to ship them so enthusiastically?

But now Dong Ling realized, how did Song Mingzhi recognize her so quickly? They were quite far apart at the time, weren’t they?

As Dong Ling was pondering, she suddenly heard crying.

She subconsciously looked towards the source of the sound. A child had fallen and was crying in the middle of Rainbow Bridge. It was lunchtime, and many families had taken their children to the restaurant, there was no one on the bridge.

Dong Ling put away her phone, looked at the little girl with a conflicted expression, and asked: “Where is your mommy?”

“I… I can’t find my mommy… waaaah…”

The little girl cried even harder, and some tourists below were already looking up.

“Then get up first, shall I take you to find your mommy?”

Dong Ling tried to encourage her, the floor of Rainbow Bridge was painted with many rainbows, but most of it was transparent, and Dong Ling felt dizzy looking down.

The little girl just kept crying, Dong Ling couldn’t do anything about it. She kept her eyes fixed forward, but when she walked onto the bridge, the open space on both sides made her legs tremble involuntarily.

Dong Ling squatted down and helped the little girl up.

She softly comforted the crying girl, whose face was red: “Don’t cry, where did you lose your mommy?”

“Jiajia! You scared Mommy to death! Why did you run off on your own?! Come here quickly!”

A woman rushed up the stairs of the overpass, breathless. She was already panicking because she couldn’t find her daughter, and seeing her daughter talking to a masked person made her even more anxious, afraid that it was a bad person, she rushed over, picked up her child, and left hurriedly.

Dong Ling, squatting in the middle of Rainbow Bridge: …………

Dong Ling thought adults should be brave, but when she stood up and saw the ground below, she felt dizzy again.

The midday sun was shining down, making her feel a little breathless.

If someone came from the other side at this moment, Dong Ling would probably worry about blocking their way, and to avoid their questioning gaze, she would quickly move to the side, to a safe zone, but no one came.

Humans were strange creatures, when facing their fears, if there was an audience, they wouldn’t be afraid, but if there wasn’t, the fear seemed to be amplified.

Dong Ling’s body was stiff, she didn’t even dare lean against the railing. Although she knew she wouldn’t fall, she still couldn’t help but imagine the disastrous consequences of falling.

On the other side, Song Mingzhi was looking for the flower-vine swing she saw earlier.

[Coming from Tong Qing’s live stream, I just want to remind you that the masked woman on the swing left after Song Mingzhi left.]

Song Mingzhi’s cameraman didn’t capture it, but Tong Qing’s cameraman did.

Seeing Song Mingzhi walking towards the flower-vine swing, the viewers frantically typed in the chat.

[Jiejie, come back, she’s gone!]

[Jiejie!!! She’s not there!!!]

[Paying one dollar to hire someone in the same city to inform the program team.]

Song Mingzhi didn’t know what was happening in the chat. She returned to the flower-vine swing, but the person sitting there wasn’t Dong Ling, but someone else.

Song Mingzhi was slightly taken aback, looked around, but didn’t see her, finding someone in such a large amusement park wasn’t easy.

That was the whole point, otherwise the live stream wouldn’t last the whole day. If it ended before nightfall, what was the fun in that?

[The other guests have all gone to lunch, Jiejie, go eat and rest!]

[Looking forward to Jiejie’s eating broadcast!]

[The lunch provided by this dog program team is actually quite good, a guaranteed eating broadcast, how nice.]

[Some eating broadcasts are truly heartbreaking, like xxx last time, so afraid of consuming too many calories, the food didn’t even look appetizing anymore.]

[Hahaha, thinking of that comedian who became a food blogger because of this variety show, nothing else, but watching him cook and eat is so satisfying.]

[With Jiejie’s looks, I’m already ready with a napkin to enjoy the feast.]

[Be more precise, it’s a luncheon, I’ve even prepared a tuxedo!]

However, despite the director’s persuasion through the earpiece, Song Mingzhi remained unmoved.

She mentally eliminated the paths she had taken and walked towards the unexplored areas.

[Wait, wait, that’s not the direction of the restaurant, Jiejie, you’re going the wrong way!]

[Emmmm, those saying she’s going the wrong way must be new viewers, right?]

[dies laughing, anyone else might go the wrong way, but not our Jiejie.]

The director panicked and desperately tried to stop her through the earpiece.

The game stages were all pre-arranged. If Song Mingzhi won now, the game would have to end early, which would affect not only the variety show, but also the other guests.

Song Mingzhi had business acumen, she naturally understood this.

But she still continued walking forward, and soon, she saw a red figure in the middle of the overpass and immediately walked towards her.

[Damn… she found her just like that?]

[Seriously, officer… she’s truly an emotionless player, with all due respect, this is really going to attract haters.]

[Speechless, what’s going on? I just started watching my Gege’s live stream, and you’re about to finish the game, there’s no need to show off like this, newcomer.]

[Jiejie… this isn’t the time to be competitive, don’t go… ]

[Emmmm, Canghai, please don’t accept these kinds of gigs for Jiejie in the future, she really doesn’t have a sense of variety…]

[So annoying, what the hell, do you think it’s fun to end the show early and steal other people’s screen time?]

[It’s not easy for our Jiejie to be on a variety show, and she runs into such a competitive opponent, so unlucky.]

[Seriously, I don’t know if she’s just stubborn or has low EQ, how could she do this?]

A large number of fans from other fandoms flooded Song Mingzhi’s live stream, the chat filled with criticism and insults. Song Mingzhi’s solo fans and CP fans were trying hard to explain, but many unfollowed her.

The production team was in despair, but after watching for a while, they realized something wasn’t quite right.

When guests found the third NPC, they had to say the corresponding slogan. The slogan for each episode was the brand name of the sponsor, and this episode was sponsored by a fruit juice brand, so the guests had to say the brand name for it to be valid.

Everyone watched as Song Mingzhi walked onto the overpass and reached out to the woman with the cat face mask.

“Let’s go.”

[?????]

[Huh?????]

[I was ready to curse, but this…]

[What’s going on? What’s happening?]

[Who is this? You even bring friends to hook up with NPCs on the show?]

[Does this staff member know Song Mingzhi?]

[Please explain, what’s going on?]

At this moment, Song Mingzhi’s solo fans, Lan Zhi, and some netizens finally breathed a sigh of relief and started explaining the background.

Dong Ling had actually taken a few steps forward, mentally preparing herself for every step, hoping someone would appear, so she could use the embarrassment to overcome her fear and quickly cross the bridge, but no one came.

Until a figure suddenly appeared beside her and reached out a hand.

Song Mingzhi knew Dong Ling was afraid of heights, she knew Dong Ling was proud.

Dong Ling hesitated, she knew the cameras were rolling.

Song Mingzhi looked at her stiff posture, seemingly seeing through her struggle, and a mischievous thought arose in her mind.

She held the microphone attached to her collar and leaned closer to Dong Ling.

Dong Ling heard her say: “Should I cover your eyes and lead you across?”

Dong Ling’s eyes widened, and she looked at Song Mingzhi nervously.

The entire nation could hear this!!!

Only when she saw Song Mingzhi’s actions did she relax.

The comments were filled with question marks, some asking what was happening, some explaining, and most were screaming.

[Is my hearing broken? Why can’t I hear anything?]

[There’s something this noble Jinjiang VIP user can’t hear! Broadcast it!]

[Damn, Song Jie whispering in her ear, so hot.]

[I would donate an ear to hear what they’re saying!]

Seeing Dong Ling didn’t respond, Song Mingzhi smiled and asked: “Then should I carry you across?”

If Dong Ling wasn’t wearing a mask, her face would be burning right now.

She grabbed Song Mingzhi’s hand and whispered: “Let’s go.”

[Task ‘Give the female lead a surprise’ complete, main storyline progress +2%, current progress 42%.]

Dong Ling: ?

Task system, explain to me, what the hell is this surprise?

Chapter 41: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Secretly Married with a Child, How Sweet!

It all started this morning.

Dong Ling knew Song Mingzhi was on a variety show today and planned to watch it, but then she felt it was a bit too clingy and gave up on the idea.

But just then, the task system issued a new task.

[Give the female lead a surprise. Completing this task will reward 2% progress.]

Dong Ling thought that suddenly appearing in front of Song Mingzhi should count as a big surprise, so she came to the program’s set.

It was all for the task, Dong Ling emphasized inwardly, not because she wanted to join in the fun.

Dong Ling knew this program was live streamed, so she didn’t plan to show her face.

She directly sponsored the program and asked the director to make arrangements secretly. In short, she had to appear in front of Song Mingzhi without anyone knowing her identity, and the scene didn’t have to be long.

So she became an NPC wearing a cat face mask, responsible for giving out the key item for victory.

The item was in the small pouch hanging from her waist. Dong Ling put on the headset for internal communication and sat on the flower-vine swing.

The director was worried she might get tired from standing all day, so he specifically arranged a chair for her.

“CEO Dong, Song Mingzhi is still at the entrance of the park, quite far from you, she has to go through two clues to find you. Your location will change according to her choices in the first two stages, so you can do whatever you want now, just stay put, there won’t be any cameras filming you.”

The director’s slightly fawning voice suddenly came from the earpiece, and Dong Ling responded.

The director had instructed her earlier that the task participants had to collect two badges and find her before she could give them the item, otherwise she was just a dormant NPC.

These were the rules of the variety show. The guests would be placed at the location closest to their first clue, then follow the clue to find the nearest NPC, after completing a challenge, they would receive a second clue, find the second NPC, then receive a third clue, get the key item for victory, and proceed to the final destination.

The ranking was based on the time they arrived at the destination, which determined their dinner options and evening activities, concluding the day’s filming.

Some guests, with a poor sense of direction or lack of observation skills, might miss their nearest NPC and directly find the second or third NPC. But without the first or first two badges, the NPC wouldn’t give them the item.

This design added a lot of fun to the variety show, the guests’ antics amusing the audience.

Knowing there were no cameras on her, Dong Ling took out her phone, put a Bluetooth earpiece in her other ear, and watched Song Mingzhi’s live stream.

After observing her surroundings for a while, Song Mingzhi looked at the map of the children’s amusement park for a moment, then walked decisively towards the nearby Cat Swing.

The Cat Swing was a ride similar to a carousel, with a large cat lying down on top, and swings suspended below. After pressing the start button, the swings would start rotating with colorful lights and lively music.

Song Mingzhi had watched previous episodes and knew the rules of the game, so she chose to look for the nearest thing with a cat element.

[I think an NPC is at the Cat Swing, the clue is too obvious.]

[chuckles, I’m watching that idiot next door say that the program team wouldn’t just tell them the answer directly, so he went in the opposite direction.]

[Hey, am I the only one who noticed that Song Jiejie didn’t look at the signs? She just went straight to that location.]

[I noticed! The rides in the children’s amusement park are quite close together, with many intersections, she didn’t look at the signs at all, and just walked past them!]

[Has she been here many times and is familiar with the layout?]

[Conspiracy theory: Song Mingzhi doesn’t seem like the type of person who frequents children’s amusement parks. She’s like 28, right? Debuting at this age and being promoted so heavily, is she some rich lady experiencing life? Maybe she even has a kid already.]

Seeing this long comment, Dong Ling’s eyebrow twitched. Many similar speculations appeared in the live stream chat, making her so angry she typed a reply.

[Can’t she just have a good sense of direction and memorize the map?]

Dong Ling knew Song Mingzhi probably had a good sense of direction, because on the night Song Mingzhi took her stargazing, she talked about chasing stars in the wilderness, someone who could drive around in the wilderness chasing stars, how could their sense of direction be bad?

—Message failed to send. To comply with national policy requirements, please log in before posting.

Seeing this message, Dong Ling frowned in annoyance and started logging in. After logging in with a linked social media account, Dong Ling unchecked the option to bind her phone number, and switched back to the live stream. The chat was already filled with arguments.

[Can you please just watch the live stream? So much negativity.]

[The possibility of her being a rich lady with a child is too high, those previous rumors might be true, who knows what dirty secrets celebrities have?]

[May you die from spreading rumors, okay? Canghai Entertainment will sue you!]

[Ooh, so scary, we’ll be sued for speculating? Freedom of speech, you can’t control what we say.]

[Just a passerby, Song Mingzhi’s resources are indeed suspiciously good, she’s not professionally trained, everyone knows what that means.]

Dong Ling noticed that because of the argument, many viewers who were just passersby had left the live stream. She anxiously typed another message.

[Everyone, don’t be led astray by the haters, don’t curse at people, focus on Jiejie’s performance.]

—Message failed to send. To comply with national policy requirements, please bind your phone number before posting.

F*** you.

Dong Ling took a deep breath, couldn’t this platform just state all the requirements at once? Thinking of the option she had just unchecked, Dong Ling had to go back and bind her phone number.

After entering her phone number and verification code, Dong Ling returned to the live stream, intending to guide the discussion, only to find that the comments had changed.

[Song Zhong sisters are awesome!]

[Someone chop my head off to entertain the Song Zhong sisters!]

[Lan Zhi (Song Mingzhi’s fans) thanks the Song Zhong sisters, you guys are so generous!]

[We Lan Zhi can’t lose, kick out those trolls, don’t disturb me watching Jiejie’s beautiful face!]

[dies laughing, this is the first time I’ve seen solo stans and CP fans so harmonious, hahahahaha.]

[Lan Zhi sisters, you’re welcome, we’re family, our CEO Dong isn’t visible, how can we let others bully Song Jie?]

Dong Ling’s fingers trembled, her eyelids twitched. After reading the comments for a while, she understood what had just happened.

During the chaotic argument, a user with the ID “PleaseSendMeOff” sent three gifts worth 10,000 each, the flashy special effects clearing the chat. While the haters were still typing, a large number of CP fans and Song Mingzhi’s solo fans started imitating her, sending gifts to clear the screen. The fans’ morale soared, the haters’ comments were quickly drowned out, and the chat was now filled with celebratory messages.

Dong Ling didn’t dare say anything. As the other half of the CP, she chose to be a silent observer.

[If CEO Dong sees her wife being bullied, she’ll be unhappy, we’ll take care of these trolls for her!]

[Yes! What’s wrong with Mingzhi having our CEO Dong supporting her? [Smirk]]

[Those bloggers who spread rumors before have already apologized, and the one who was the most malicious is about to be sentenced, you’re still here spreading rumors? Are you cursing your ancestors?]

Dong Ling saw the comments starting to clarify the previous incident and was about to explain the situation of those involved in spreading rumors when she saw new comments.

[Didn’t the haters just mention a rich lady with a child? What, when did she secretly have a child with CEO Dong?]

[More material for the sugar daddy x canary trope, secret marriage and child in the entertainment industry, writers, let’s go!]

[I can accept the child being five years old at most, any older and I won’t support CEO Dong having a child before she turned eighteen.]

[Song Zhong sisters are so thorough, you’re right.]

[Hahahaha, dies laughing, what is this, hahahaha.]

Dong Ling: ????

How could this even be about her?!

Dong Ling complained to 021: [You, look at them, wuwuwu.]

021 said indignantly: [Exactly, they’re slandering you! Your current technology can’t allow you to have children yet, but in a world I visited before, the technology supported…]

Dong Ling said with a blank expression: [Shut up, I don’t want to know.]

Dong Ling thought melancholically, there was no true empathy in the world.

Then a comment brought the discussion back on track.

[Song Jie found an NPC! So fast! Is this the fastest in the history of this show?!]

In the live stream, Song Mingzhi was facing a girl wearing a cat ear headband, sitting on a swing and eating cotton candy.

“Congratulations on finding me, pretty sister, do you know how a cat meows?”

The round-faced girl looked at the older sister in front of her and asked while eating the sweet cotton candy.

Song Mingzhi’s lips moved slightly: “Meow?”

Dong Ling subconsciously tightened her grip on her phone, Song Mingzhi making such a sound, that was cheating!

[Ahhhhhhh! Today, this place is a mass grave for A Wei! (A Wei dies from excessive cuteness)]

[Damn, a meow without emotion or a smile is actually sweeter than a sweet girl’s meow, who can resist an aloof older sister meowing?!]

[Thank you, production team, you know what you’re doing!]

[This damn contrasting cuteness, I can’t handle it, I can’t handle it!]

The girl clapped her hands: “Correct! This is your pouch, there’s a badge and a clue to the next badge inside.”

Song Mingzhi thanked her and took the pouch, the girl waved goodbye to her.

Song Mingzhi opened the pouch and saw a coin-sized badge and a card, the card had the word “fountain” written on it.

[The program team’s usual tricks, the first one is always simple, but the later ones are much more difficult! There are so many fountains in this amusement park!]

[The “fountain” clue is too broad, there are many places with fountains in the park, two of them are even diagonally opposite each other, does she have to run to all of them?]

[As a loyal viewer, let me tell you, the program team’s tricks are far more than this. Last time, a guest’s clue was “coconut tree,” but there were no coconut trees in the park, in the end, it turned out to be a large, artificial coconut tree in a pot, a blatant advertisement for a coconut juice brand.]

[Program team, you’re truly something else.]

Dong Ling was a little worried and continued staring at her phone screen.

Song Mingzhi stood in front of the amusement park map again, frowning slightly.

Besides the entrance and exit, restrooms, and food stalls, the map only marked the names of the rides, and only three of them had fountains.

One was a food stall called “Chocolate Fountain,” the other two were rides, one called “Musical Fountain,” and the other called “Fountain Train.” There were definitely more fountains than these, she had seen a purely decorative fountain in the distance when she was walking over earlier.

Song Mingzhi planned the optimal route in her head and started walking.

The cameraman followed behind her, feeling a little anxious.

Compared to the other guests’ laughter and interaction, Song Mingzhi was truly too cold, she seemed to be solely focused on the task, not doing anything else.

Like the cameraman, some fans started to worry.

[Jiejie, say something! The guest next door is already praising the children’s innocence and reminiscing about her own childhood, say something!]

[Truly silent and unmoved, I suddenly realized I don’t even know what persona Canghai Entertainment is trying to create for her, is it just a cold beauty?]

[Song Jie, this is a variety show! No one is really here just to play! You have to interact with others to gain fans! Mom fans are starting to have heart attacks.]

[The foodie next door is thriving, eating and doing tasks, so carefree, Song Jie, don’t act like a secret agent on a mission, wuwuwu.]

“Um… Song Jie… don’t you want to say something?”

Prompted by the director through the earpiece, the cameraman gave a reminder, his forehead sweating slightly.

Song Mingzhi turned around in confusion, looked directly at the cameraman and the camera, and said: “I’m looking.”

The cameraman looked expectant, and then?

There was no “then,” because Song Mingzhi had already turned her head and continued walking along her planned route.

[Damn, hahahaha, Song Jie is really confused, she’s already doing the task, what else is she supposed to say?]

[dies laughing, I don’t know why, but she reminds me of myself, forced to work 996, when my boss asks me to share my feelings about my work performance, I just want to say I tried my best, I don’t want to make things up.]

[After watching all the live streams, I realized she’s the only one who’s actually here to do the task, nothing can stop her.]

[Jie, you’re so real.]

Dong Ling’s shoulders shook with laughter, she could sense Song Mingzhi’s slight confusion and indifference when she looked at the camera.

Zuo Zhen’s initial proposal included several planned personas for Song Mingzhi, but Dong Ling didn’t adopt any of them, all personas had the potential to backfire. More importantly, she didn’t want Song Mingzhi to force herself to act differently to cater to the public.

However Song Mingzhi wanted to present herself, that was fine, she wanted her to be loved for who she was.

Among all the live streams, Song Mingzhi’s was the quietest.

She would stop and observe her surroundings when she arrived at a destination, and if she didn’t find the NPC, she would continue searching for the next clue.

The children’s amusement park wasn’t that big, and the guests would inevitably run into each other.

The person who ran into Song Mingzhi was a sweet and charming idol, Tong Qing, wearing a colorful lace dress and a cute duck headband from the park. Seeing Song Mingzhi, she immediately greeted her cheerfully.

“Hello, Teacher Song, where are you going?”

“Looking for a fountain.”

“Oh, I just found one of my tasks and I’m going to the second one now. The keyword is ‘duck,’ there’s a shooting game called Duck Commando not far from here, I plan to try there.”

Tong Qing told Song Mingzhi her destination and waved goodbye with a smile.

Song Mingzhi looked in Tong Qing’s direction and called out to her: “You’re going the wrong way, it’s in that direction.”

Song Mingzhi pointed forward and continued: “Go straight along this road until you reach the intersection, turn left, then when you reach another intersection, take the middle path, it’s on your right.”

Tong Qing’s eyes widened: “Teacher Song, you’re so familiar with this place, have you been here before?”

Song Mingzhi shook her head and said: “First time, there are maps here.”

Tong Qing was overjoyed: “A paper map? Where did you get it, Teacher Song? I didn’t see it!”

“There are electronic displays along the way, just look at those.”

Tong Qing’s eyes widened: “Isn’t there only one every so often? You memorized the map just by looking at those?”

Song Mingzhi said matter-of-factly: “Of course.”

Tong Qing felt a blow to her confidence, sighed at the camera, and said: “I feel the disparity of the world.”

Tong Qing’s live stream chat was filled with laughter, while many fans in Song Mingzhi’s live stream felt a sense of pride.

[Those haters who spread rumors earlier, come out and apologize. You said she brought her child here many times? Have you ever seen someone with such a good memory and map-reading skills?]

[Isn’t this a slap in the face? My Jiejie is just that awesome, she can memorize the map just by looking at it, don’t think everyone is as brainless as you haters.]

[Wow, that’s amazing, she only looked at the map twice, once to find the Cat Swing, and once to find the fountain, and then she never looked at it again, but she never went the wrong way, she even knows where the ducks are, Jiejie’s memory is so good!]

[So the rumor about Song Jie being secretly married with a child is debunked, so disappointed [Smirk]]

[Taking out my Italian… noodles for the Song Zhong sisters to try.]

[Don’t worry, maybe the child isn’t old enough to go out yet [Smirk]]

Dong Ling was feeling proud reading the first few comments, but what was up with the later ones?!

Dong Ling silently opened the comment filter settings and added “Song Zhong,” “secret marriage,” and “child,” feeling much better.

As long as I can’t see it, it doesn’t exist!

In the live stream, Tong Qing decided to cling to Song Mingzhi, following her so she wouldn’t get lost.

The last fountain Song Mingzhi was looking for happened to be closest along this route, so she set off with Tong Qing.

Tong Qing was an idol, so she tried her best to amplify her charm. Although she didn’t find the NPC at Duck Commando, she still happily picked up the gun and shot balloons.

She waved to Song Mingzhi: “Teacher Song, don’t you want to play? It’s fun!”

Song Mingzhi declined: “No, thanks.”

Then she walked away without pausing.

[Song Mingzhi, an emotionless secret agent.]

[Song Jie’s thinking, what’s the point of staying here if there’s no NPC, a very rational player.]

Tong Qing was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed, and meeting Song Mingzhi’s gaze, scratched her head awkwardly.

“I’m afraid I’ll get lost again, I’ll just walk with you, Teacher Song, and then go my own way after we find the next one!”

Song Mingzhi didn’t mind, after all, this wasn’t a private road, others could walk however they wanted.

Tong Qing racked her brains to find topics to talk about, but found that this recently popular movie star was truly aloof, not even glancing at the camera, indifferent to her attempts at conversation.

Tong Qing felt that if this continued, her live stream would become awkward, so she was about to part ways, but then she saw Song Mingzhi stop and look in a certain direction.

Dong Ling quickly put away her phone. The place Song Mingzhi’s camera was pointing at, wasn’t that where she was?

Dong Ling adjusted her mask, pretending to be just a tourist on the swing.

She was wearing a red witch costume provided by the director, different from her usual style, Song Mingzhi shouldn’t recognize her so quickly, right?

Song Mingzhi saw the person sitting on the flower-vine swing, the mask making it impossible to tell her age, her slender ankles visible beneath her skirt, the small bells on the red string around her wrist jingling softly with the movement of the swing.

[Jiejie, what are you doing!!! That’s not the direction of the fountain!]

[I don’t see any fountains around here, agent, what are you doing?!]

[What’s going on, did Song Jie see something?]

Not only were the viewers confused, but the cameraman and Tong Qing were also puzzled.

Dong Ling looked at the person walking towards her, tilted her head up, smiled at her, and made an encouraging gesture.

Song Mingzhi nodded and smiled back.

[????]

[Did I see correctly, did Song Jie smile?]

[Who is this???]

Chapter 40: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Drools 

The sudden ringing of a phone made Dong Ling subconsciously look at her own phone, then realized it wasn’t hers.

The screen of the phone placed on the sofa lit up. Dong Ling hadn’t intended to answer for Song Mingzhi, but seeing that the caller ID was Zuo Zhen, she answered it anyway.

“Hello?”

A common greeting when answering the phone in China. Dong Ling’s voice was lazy, her eyes fixed on her own phone screen, reading the gossip Chen Shang Shang sent, while waiting to hear what Zuo Zhen had to say.

Zuo Zhen on the other end of the phone asked uncertainly: “CEO Dong?”

“Yes, it’s me, Mingzhi is a little busy right now, if it’s urgent, you can call her later.”

Although they were both her subordinates, Dong Ling didn’t mind listening to secrets, she just relayed the message.

Zuo Zhen chuckled dryly. CEO Dong was truly treating her like one of her own, not minding relaying such things in front of her, but then again, this company was established to promote Song Mingzhi, it was quite normal.

“CEO Dong, please don’t hang up yet, this matter is actually related to you.”

Dong Ling’s attention shifted, she turned on the speakerphone and asked curiously: “Oh? What is it?”

“Vica contacted us, saying their editor-in-chief was impressed by Mingzhi’s expressiveness and would like to invite her to shoot a magazine cover, but her inspiration actually came from your scene with Mingzhi in the movie, so…”

Zuo Zhen felt this was tricky. Vica was a relatively well-known magazine in China, with Song Mingzhi’s current resources, they weren’t quite at that level yet, so Zuo Zhen was very happy to be able to get such an opportunity. But the other party’s condition was that they wanted her boss to participate as well…

Please, if it was another artist from the company, Zuo Zhen would have happily packed them up and sent them over, but this was her boss.

The editor-in-chief said, either you persuade her, or I’ll go persuade her, and if I can’t, then so be it, we won’t shoot without both of you, it doesn’t feel right.

Zuo Zhen thought she should ask for Song Mingzhi’s thoughts and opinions first. If Song Mingzhi didn’t want to do it, then the collaboration opportunity could be dropped.

Dong Ling understood, thought for a moment, and said: “Let me think about it, I’ll give you an answer tomorrow, I’ll relay this to her.”

Zuo Zhen: “Thank you, CEO Dong, goodbye.”

Dong Ling wanted to give all the good resources to Song Mingzhi, but she didn’t want to become famous herself, and… there were already enough CP fans of her and Song Mingzhi, she didn’t want to add to that.

That wouldn’t be good. What if Wen Han woke up later, accepted the tasks, and then found the internet full of CP fans and R18 fan fiction about his wife and his childhood friend? That wouldn’t do.

Dong Ling shuddered at the thought, pulled herself out of her thoughts, put her phone aside, and seeing that Song Mingzhi hadn’t come out yet, continued scrolling through her phone. While she was on the phone and lost in thought, Chen Shang Shang had already sent her several messages.

[Chen Shang Shang]: I have exclusive news, it’s so explosive, I’m not telling anyone but you and that other woman.

[Chen Shang Shang]: I saw Chen Fei with her arm around a man, shopping. While I was grabbing a bite to eat, I saw that same man shopping with Chen Fei’s mother.

[Chen Shang Shang]: I immediately messaged Chen Fei, she’s experienced in catching cheaters, but this time, she wasn’t surprised, she even said she knew.

[Chen Shang Shang]: Let me quote her exact words: “I’m tired too, so let him be with my mom.”

[Chen Shang Shang]: Are you confused? I thought Chen Fei dumped him, but she said they even slept together last night.

[Chen Shang Shang]: I ???

This period encompassed all of Dong Ling’s feelings at this moment.

Dong Ling: What kind of stomach does that guy have, eating two people’s soft rice? (Soft rice refers to a man living off a woman, often implying a parasitic relationship.)

[Chen Shang Shang]: Exactly, and this time, Chen Fei didn’t even fight with her mom, I feel like she’s becoming as twisted as her mother.

Dong Ling frowned, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say, so she sent a “Respect” emoji.

The bathroom door opened, and Dong Ling put away her phone, looking at Song Mingzhi.

Song Mingzhi was wearing a white shirt, water dripping from the ends of her hair, making parts of the fabric semi-transparent. Her face, free of makeup, looked a little cold.

Dong Ling remembered there was a small mole on her cheek, but it was too far away to see clearly now, but her gaze still subconsciously searched for it. When she met Song Mingzhi’s eyes, she felt it was a bit impolite and smiled at Song Mingzhi.

Then she smiled even wider, because…

[Task complete, main storyline progress +5%, current progress 40%.]

Dong Ling had never found the task system’s mechanical voice so pleasant before, it was like music to her ears.

But she asked, a little puzzled: [Dude, is it malfunctioning? Why did it suddenly give me 5%?]

021 explained happily: [It’s from the previous task, the one about investing in and producing a movie for the female lead. The reward is given after the movie is released, there might be a delay, it was just calculated today, but we’ve finally reached 40%, we’re almost halfway there!]

Dong Ling had indeed forgotten about this, after all, the task system wasn’t like a game interface, constantly displayed and reminding her of pending tasks.

It felt like suddenly finding money in an old coat pocket, a considerable amount, making one happy, even though it was her own money, it felt like finding free money.

Song Mingzhi blushed slightly from Dong Ling’s smile, for no other reason than that Dong Ling’s smile was too joyful and sweet, making the suspicious Song Mingzhi subconsciously think that perhaps Dong Ling hadn’t forgotten about last night’s drunken incident and was smiling because of it.

Song Mingzhi even thought, her mind wandering, that perhaps Dong Ling was a skilled hunter, teasing her with a strategic retreat.

She couldn’t figure it out.

“Have something to eat, I just answered a call for you, it was from Zuo Zhen.”

Dong Ling pushed the pastries in front of Song Mingzhi and told her what had just happened.

Song Mingzhi snapped back to reality from her thoughts. Hearing what Dong Ling said, she replied: “Turn it down, I’m not in a hurry to pursue fashion resources, there’s no need.”

If Song Mingzhi herself had answered Zuo Zhen’s call, she would probably have refused in a much colder tone.

She wasn’t very happy with those frivolous netizens calling Dong Ling “wife,” and how dare a mere magazine make such a request, asking Dong Ling to participate?

Dong Ling nodded without objection and enjoyed the pastries with Song Mingzhi.

…………

With the movie’s success, Song Mingzhi’s popularity soared, and film offers poured in like snowflakes.

Because the company’s plan was to have Song Mingzhi focus on movies, Zuo Zhen rejected many offers.

Movie production cycles were relatively long, and sometimes, due to uncontrollable factors, the release date could even be delayed. To secure better roles, Zuo Zhen was still making inquiries and networking.

While choosing scripts, to maintain Song Mingzhi’s popularity and increase her exposure, Zuo Zhen arranged for Song Mingzhi to be a guest on a currently popular variety show.

Each episode of the variety show was filmed in a different location, the general content was games, entertainment, eating, and so on. These alone weren’t enough to make it a hit, so the reason for its popularity was because it also incorporated a live streaming format.

Each guest had their own live stream room, and fans and viewers could choose based on their preferences. Because live streams couldn’t be edited, it added excitement and unpredictability.

For example, in the last two episodes, a seemingly fairy-like actress and a rich second-generation male idol, during their live streams, one couldn’t help but curse at the staff, and the other couldn’t pronounce the name of a luxury brand correctly, both becoming the target of ridicule.

There were also variety show regulars who gained even more fans and actors who experienced a resurgence in popularity because of their excellent live stream performance. The audience never knew what surprises they would see, so the anticipation was high.

When they learned that Song Mingzhi was going to be on this variety show, her new fans were very excited.

@SongJiejie’sSweetheart: Wonderful! I was worried that since Sister is focusing on movies, she wouldn’t have many commercial activities. I’m relieved now, Canghai Entertainment yyds! (yyds – forever god)

@AnZhiTingLan: After all, Sister is Canghai Entertainment’s main artist. I’ve never been so reassured following a celebrity, because Sister is a treasure, Canghai Entertainment and CEO Dong are forever gods!

@XiaoLanZhi: Everyone, remember to subtly promote Sister’s movie, “A Mysterious Person’s Funeral” is worth watching multiple times!

The “Song Zhong” CP fans were also very happy, because the other half of their CP wasn’t in the entertainment industry and kept a very low profile, they couldn’t find her at all, so seeing either one of them was enough.

@PleaseSendMeOff: Yay, more content! Although we can’t see them together, I’m super happy to see either one of them. CEO Dong is so mysterious, that video was even hidden by the official account, fortunately I saved it so I can watch it from time to time, CEO Dong is so beautiful, drools!

Song Mingzhi, a little puzzled, took a screenshot of this comment and sent it to Ji Yiling.

Song Mingzhi: What does “drools” mean?

[Ji Yiling]: An onomatopoeia expressing emotion, I guess?

Song Mingzhi: I know, what kind of emotion?

[Ji Yiling]: …Let me look it up for you.

[Ji Yiling]: Oh, oh, oh, I found it, it means… craving? Lusting?

[Ji Yiling]: I searched for similar sentences, for example, “Sister, you’re so hot, I want to be close to you, drools”

[Ji Yiling]: And “Sister, your legs are so long, drools”

Song Mingzhi rubbed her temples, she understood, frivolous netizens.

Song Mingzhi hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should remind Dong Ling not to appear in her live stream, but then she felt it would be too abrupt. Dong Ling wouldn’t appear on a variety show anyway, saying that would only cause misunderstanding.

Song Mingzhi dismissed the thought and started preparing for the variety show, watching past episodes to familiarize herself with the format.

She didn’t think she had much of a comedic personality, but she would do her best for work assignments.

The new episode of the variety show aired as scheduled, this time the location was a children’s amusement park.

The guests had to find NPCs hidden in the amusement park, get task cards from them, and begin their day’s mission.

Song Mingzhi looked at the keyword for her NPC: “Cat.”

The camera focused on Song Mingzhi, the viewers already guessing the location or key item.

On the other side, Dong Ling looked at the cat face mask in her hand and smiled mischievously.

Chapter 39: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – The Forced Kiss

021 sobbed, but for Dong Ling’s sake, decided to continue reminding her.

With the system’s shielding function activated, anything the host said related to the system in this world would be silenced, so 021 wasn’t worried.

So 021 raised its voice and said: [Shut up and go to sleep! You’ll want to die when you wake up tomorrow! Don’t say anything more!]

Sigh, being a system was like being a worried parent, truly not easy.

Dong Ling felt even more aggrieved and also raised her voice: “Why are you yelling at me?!”

Although her words were slurred from being drunk, her imposing manner was still there.

The usually quiet and reserved Song Mingzhi: …………

021 gave up and retreated into its shell.

Song Mingzhi didn’t notice anything unusual, thinking the girl was just drunk and hallucinating. To avoid further agitating her, she immediately coaxed her: “I’m sorry, it was my fault, I shouldn’t have yelled at you, don’t cry.”

Song Mingzhi took another tissue and wiped Dong Ling’s tears, still thinking about what Dong Ling had just said.

It was probably the alcohol that made the girl blurt out her true feelings, which was why she asked so pitifully, asking why she didn’t take the initiative… Song Mingzhi coughed lightly, feeling a little awkward, wasn’t that a bit too fast?

Her thoughts scattered, her emotional floodgates opened, Dong Ling rambled on, wanting to say how hard it was to do tasks, how this broken world kept consuming energy, how the progress she painstakingly accumulated would regress, but she found she couldn’t speak.

021 sighed: [Girl, stop struggling, you’re restricted, you can’t say it.]

021’s voice wasn’t loud, the drunkard didn’t hear it at all, panicking at this contradiction.

“My tongue… is my tongue gone?”

Dong Ling mumbled a few times, opened her mouth in self-doubt, and stuck out her tongue.

Dong Ling had been drinking red wine, and when she opened her mouth slightly, a rich, sweet fragrance unique to luxurious wine filled the air.

Song Mingzhi’s gaze was fixed on Dong Ling’s panicked, pitiful, and adorable appearance.

Her water-stained red lips were like a blooming flower, her breath, like a tiny snake, like a winding vine, seductively creeping into one’s heart.

Dong Ling’s features were somewhat glamorous, a little more would be seductive, too much would be gaudy, but she didn’t give off a seductive vibe. Her eyes were cold and sharp, with a clear and piercing gaze. Now, in her drunken state, her eyes were sparkling, the allure in her features revealed slightly under the influence of alcohol.

Dong Ling didn’t realize she could speak again, her eyes tearing up, thinking she had become mute.

Seeing the tears rolling down Dong Ling’s cheeks, Song Mingzhi immediately returned to her senses, subconsciously ignoring her wandering thoughts just now.

She said with suppressed laughter: “It’s still there, don’t be afraid.”

Dong Ling looked at her doubtfully: “Really? Don’t lie to me.”

“Really, stick it out and touch it, it’s perfectly fine.”

Song Mingzhi said seriously, teasing the girl was fun, teasing a drunk girl was even more fun.

Dong Ling obediently stuck out her tongue, touched it with her finger, and stopped crying.

“It’s really there…” She mumbled with her tongue sticking out, then excitedly grabbed Song Mingzhi’s hand, “Look, it’s still there.”

The warm, moist, and soft touch of her fingertip on her tongue made Song Mingzhi’s whole body stiffen, she suddenly froze, her thoughts scattering like fish, unable to gather.

Humans were strange creatures, they could be moved by different things in different situations, unintentional touches and temptations seemed to be even more disconcerting than deliberate actions.

Only when the warmth suddenly disappeared did Song Mingzhi come back to her senses, looking down blankly.

The parking lot lights were bright and harsh, hanging from the ceiling not far away, the faint light shining through the car window, reflecting on her fingers, making them look wet and glistening.

A car passed by, and the momentarily obscured light returned to normal.

The flickering light made her head spin.

Song Mingzhi mechanically dialed her assistant’s number with her other hand, avoiding the drunkard beside her.

But the drunkard didn’t heed her intentions, leaning towards her and collapsing against her.

Song Mingzhi felt a little troubled, although she was perceptive, she couldn’t figure out Dong Ling’s thoughts.

She felt that Dong Ling liked her, but also felt that she didn’t like her that much.

Dong Ling would approach and then retreat, making her hesitate to reject at first, and now, she didn’t know how to react.

It was even more difficult than the most challenging project proposal, she didn’t know where to start.

Dong Ling, immersed in the joy that her tongue had returned and she could speak again, spoke quickly and urgently, as if afraid of losing her voice again.

“My head is spinning… I feel so uncomfortable…”

“I really want to eat the tofu dish Auntie Liu makes, I don’t know what it’s called, tofu with minced meat, so soft and smooth…”

“A Sheng has recovered… that’s good… but they will definitely start their revenge again… so annoying… isn’t love and peace better…”

The rapid topic changes made it impossible for Song Mingzhi to keep up, she just stared at her fingers silently.

“When will Wen Han wake up… I really…”

Dong Ling suddenly covered her mouth in panic, she couldn’t speak again.

Song Mingzhi was lost in thought for a moment before realizing that Dong Ling had stopped talking, she subconsciously looked over and saw the girl quietly covering her mouth, a melancholic look on her face.

“Ling Ling?”

Dong Ling said sadly: “I’ll tell you a secret…”

“Yes?”

“I’ve become mute.”

“…”

Song Mingzhi also became melancholic.

[Task: Kiss the female lead lightly, like a dragonfly skimming the water. Countdown: one minute. Completing this task will reward 1% progress.]

If Dong Ling was sober, she would definitely curse the task system for being an idiot and a pervert, even setting prerequisites for a kiss, but Dong Ling wasn’t sober right now.

021 also felt despair when it heard the system notification, almost closing its eyes, unable to bear watching, but was quickly startled awake by the voice in Dong Ling’s mind.

Dong Ling: [Who is the female lead? Who is the female lead? Who is the female lead?]

021: [I’m not deaf, why are you asking so many times?]

Dong Ling turned into a broken record: [Who is the female lead? Who is the female lead? Who is the female lead?]

021 took a deep breath: [Song Mingzhi!]

It hoped the host would never get drunk again, thank you, it couldn’t handle it, and neither could the girl.

Dong Ling mentally said “Oh,” thinking the voice in her mind was her own thought, and looked at Song Mingzhi happily.

Oh, oh, oh, a beautiful woman!

“Give me a kiss!”

Song Mingzhi was caught off guard by this sudden turn of events. Before she could react, Dong Ling had already pounced on her, the intoxicating fragrance of alcohol and the warmth of her body enveloping her.

Their lips touched, Song Mingzhi looked at Dong Ling’s excited expression and heard a “mwah” sound.

021: …

It was actually quite good that the girl often got drunk, look at this efficiency, definitely something she couldn’t achieve when sober.

A light tap on the car window came. Song Mingzhi looked at Dong Ling, who had collapsed against her, pursed her slightly numb and tingling lips, and resisting the heat in her cheeks, rolled down the window.

It was her assistant, who had come to take over driving. Song Mingzhi handed her the car keys and helped the slumped Dong Ling sit up.

But Dong Ling refused to sit still, leaning against the other window, humming a broken tune, still seemingly excited.

Song Mingzhi chuckled helplessly, touched her lips, the smile on her face softening.

Night fell, and the sun rose.

Dong Ling woke up to the chirping of birds, pressing her slightly throbbing temples, her vision blurry.

It took her a few seconds to realize this was her familiar room, the sunlight outside was bright, some birds were perched on the tall trees, occasionally fluttering away, looking very cheerful.

Dong Ling sniffed her slightly stuffy nose, looked at her wrinkled clothes, got out of bed with disgust, and took out her pajamas from the closet.

As she walked to the bathroom, Dong Ling’s still sluggish mind finally started working.

Her memory stopped at Cheng Ge excitedly talking about the movie, she didn’t remember anything after that.

Did Song Mingzhi take her home last night?

021 said dejectedly: [Yes.]

Dong Ling sensed 021’s unusual mood and asked nervously: [I didn’t do anything again, did I?]

021 said sadly: [We were taken advantage of again!]

021 was usually a well-behaved system, after all, no one was more greasy than it was, no one could make people more exasperated and want to curse, but now, it actually cursed, and the content of its words startled Dong Ling, she subconsciously pulled at her clothes and looked down at herself.

Okay, no marks, no strange sensations.

Dong Ling: [What happened?]

Dong Ling was so scared she thought she had slept with Song Mingzhi, if it wasn’t that, what else could she have done to be taken advantage of?

021 started recounting the events: [Last night, when you were drunk, the task system issued a task for you to lightly kiss Song Mingzhi, like a dragonfly skimming the water, completing it would reward 1% progress.]

Dong Ling had a bad feeling, did she really kiss her? Knowing 021’s usual style, she probably did something beyond the task requirements, which was why 021 felt taken advantage of, right?

021 said indignantly: [You didn’t hesitate at all and smacked a kiss on her, but you bumped into her, I think that’s why, even though it was within the countdown, the system said the task failed, it must be because you kissed too hard, not light enough.]

Dong Ling’s mind was completely blank, she stared at the bathtub, thinking this would be a peaceful way to die.

Life was but a fleeting moment.

She didn’t know whether the task system was more idiotic, or the 021 currently chattering in her mind was more idiotic, or whether she, drunk last night, was the biggest idiot of all.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Dong Ling really wanted to just jump in, help, why did she drink… no… why did she go visit Wen Han that day? If she hadn’t gone to see Wen Han, she wouldn’t have been entangled by this stupid system, and if she hadn’t been entangled by this stupid system, she wouldn’t have to do so many embarrassing things.

Life was so tiring, this world might as well just end.

Dong Ling numbly washed up and showered, then numbly lay down on the bed Auntie Liu had just changed the sheets for, pulling the quilt over her head.

After wallowing for a while, Dong Ling finally rebuilt her mental fortitude.

Playing dumb was always a tried and true method for adults, Dong Ling decided she could still be a little more shameless.

She really didn’t remember last night’s events, even with 021’s description, no images appeared in her mind, it was a complete blackout, in this situation, she didn’t know how to explain to Song Mingzhi.

Was she supposed to explain dryly that she was just drunk and acting crazy after forcing a kiss on someone? Dong Ling mentally scoffed at herself and finally decided to apologize with a gift.

On the way there, Dong Ling reflected inwardly.

[Dude, I’m not human, how could I do such a shameless thing?]

021 comforted her: [Girl, it’s not your fault, it’s the task system’s fault, it’s the one that’s not human.]

Indeed, the task system wasn’t human.

Dong Ling pondered for a moment and decided to add Cheng Ge to her drinking blacklist, she would never drink with Cheng Ge again.

When Dong Ling knocked on the door, Song Mingzhi was working out at home.

She had insomnia last night, only sleeping for a few hours before waking up, so she decided to exercise to maintain a good state.

Dong Ling was a little surprised to see Song Mingzhi open the door in workout clothes, because the image Song Mingzhi presented in front of her was always elegant and composed, her attire also very appropriate, this was the first time she saw her like this.

Seeing the lines of abdominal muscles partially hidden by her pants under her sports bra, she couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Come in.”

Song Mingzhi wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel, using it to hide the unnatural flush that appeared on her face the moment she saw Dong Ling.

“I’m here to thank you for taking me home last night. I think I acted crazy while drunk, I hope you don’t mind, I’m really sorry.”

Dong Ling placed the small gift on the coffee table and stated her purpose.

Song Mingzhi’s eyes were instantly filled with a probing sharpness, she wasn’t sure if Dong Ling remembered last night’s events, or what she meant by these words.

Was she worried about being distanced and trying to reassure her?

Her gaze swept over Dong Ling’s face, then drifted away.

“It’s okay, I know you were drunk.”

Song Mingzhi poured herself a glass of water, drank it all in one gulp, and then said these words to Dong Ling.

Dong Ling felt a deeper meaning in them, but then thought it might just be her imagination.

Song Mingzhi’s understanding and lack of obvious displeasure about her drunken behavior made Dong Ling feel relieved, and she once again marveled at Song Mingzhi’s kind and understanding personality, a smile appearing on her face.

“These are traditional Chinese pastries made by my housekeeper, I think they’re delicious, so I brought some for you to try.”

Dong Ling came in a hurry, she hadn’t thought about what to bring as an apology gift. The movie’s box office earnings wouldn’t arrive so soon, it would take some time, so the diamond would also have to wait, as long as the task was completed within the one-month time limit, it would be fine.

After thinking about it, Dong Ling decided to bring something she liked to share, so she had Auntie Liu make some pastries, packed them nicely, and brought them to Song Mingzhi’s house.

“They look delicious, I’ll go take a shower first, be right back.”

Song Mingzhi didn’t want to be all sweaty near Dong Ling, and gestured towards the bathroom. Dong Ling nodded.

While waiting, Dong Ling took out the pastries and arranged them. Her phone buzzed with a message notification.

[Chen Shang Shang]: Damn, big news, Ling Ling, do you know He Diesheng is back?!

[Chen Shang Shang]: That circle is going to be lively again, the true crown princess has returned, oh wait, Xuan Du still has the upper hand, after all, the previous emperor has passed away, but they’re both the previous emperor’s children, the current emperor will probably treat them equally, right?

Dong Ling thought, that wasn’t necessarily true, Xuan Du was the current mayor’s wife’s biological child, He Diesheng wasn’t, although the public didn’t know.

[Chen Shang Shang]: What do you think she’s back for? It would have been better if she had returned a few years earlier, when Xuan Du wasn’t around. Now that Xuan Du is back, isn’t she walking right into the lion’s den?

Dong Ling: I think she came back precisely because of Xuan Du.

[Chen Shang Shang]: Damn, that ruthless? A direct confrontation?

Dong Ling: Not sure, don’t get involved in this mess.

[Chen Shang Shang]: Understood, understood, I’m just a spectator.

[Chen Shang Shang]: By the way, latest news, Chen Fei’s mom has progressed to sharing husbands.

Utterly shocked.

As soon as Dong Ling thought of Chen Fei, she thought of the drug that day, what she did that day, and then last night’s forced kiss, she closed her eyes in pain.

She was truly a beast, doing this and that to Song Mingzhi.

Fortunately, Song Mingzhi was a kind-hearted straight woman.

Chapter 38: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Intimate Things

Dong Ling thought, perhaps she shouldn’t have said that last sentence in the video, or perhaps she shouldn’t have recorded that video at all, there were other ways to handle it, then there wouldn’t be any CP fans.

“Song Zhong” was a good name, it was almost sending her off as well.

@PleaseSendMeOff: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, just came back from watching the movie, I’m going crazy, sisters, listen to me, you must go to the cinema and experience the kissing scene on the big screen, it’s simply… overwhelming. Ignore my messy adjectives, it’s just incredibly exciting. The plot is a bit mind-boggling, I might have to watch it two or three more times to understand it, which means I can watch the kissing scene several times, I’m so happy!

@LingzhiLongLife: Thanks for watching, I was there on set, I was the key the older sister spat out.

@SongJiejie’sSweetheart: Thanks for watching, I was there on set, I was the wall behind them.

@BorrowMeALifetime: Thanks for watching, I was there on set, I was the pile of leaves behind them.

Dong Ling closed her phone with a blank expression, thinking this wasn’t entirely her fault, it was also the system’s fault.

If it weren’t for that kissing scene!

Dong Ling touched her lips, sighing endlessly.

She had already forgotten how it felt that day, trying hard to recall, she only remembered a soft, numb feeling, and nothing else.

The box office sales were great on the first day. Not only was Dong Ling in a good mood, but the entire company, including the film crew, was also happy. Cheng Ge said he wanted to organize a dinner party to celebrate.

Dong Ling looked at the message from Song Mingzhi asking if she was going, and replied in the affirmative.

[Dong Ling]: You’re not far from me, should I pick you up tonight?

Dong Ling added this to her memo and went back to work.

At 5:30, Dong Ling received a call. Hearing the voice on the other end, she jumped up from her seat in surprise.

“A Ling, I’m back, come pick me up.”

Dong Ling hurriedly finished her work and drove away from the company.

At the airport arrival gate, Dong Ling saw the woman waiting for her.

It was early summer now, although the temperature dropped considerably in the evening, it was still somewhat warm, but the woman was wearing long sleeves and pants, and even a gray coat.

Her long, smooth black hair hung loose, she was wearing a casual hat, looking like she had just returned from a vacation.

The woman also saw her and gave her a faint smile.

“Long time no see.”

Those dark eyes were calm and gentle, her face pale and thin, like a butterfly buffeted by the wind, yet resting peacefully.

“Long time no see.” Dong Ling’s throat felt a little dry, her tongue moved slightly, and she uttered two words, “A Sheng.”

He Diesheng glanced at the twilight sky and smiled faintly: “This place still feels familiar, even the air makes me feel better.”

The air quality in Beihai was only average, far worse than that of Haicheng, where He Diesheng had been recuperating.

“Eight years, I’m finally back. It’s good that you haven’t changed your phone number, otherwise I wouldn’t have any friends here, no one to contact.”

He Diesheng approached Dong Ling, her tone filled with joy and relief, as if she was just someone returning to her hometown and greeting an old friend.

But Dong Ling felt a sudden chill in this May weather, her words that angered Xuan Du that day weren’t entirely false.

Xuan Du liked to play mind games, but her skills weren’t perfect, her capricious nature was influenced by the person in front of her.

He Diesheng, the mayor’s second daughter, had been taken away by the Xuan family after her mental breakdown, how could she suddenly return alone?

He Diesheng smiled: “Why are you looking at me like that? Don’t worry, I’m completely recovered, couldn’t be better.”

Dong Ling came back to her senses and said: “Congratulations on your recovery. Did you come alone? Is your grandmother reassured?”

“My grandmother has passed away. I’ve been crazy for a few years, it’s time to wake up.”

He Diesheng lowered her eyes, the black pupils in her dark eyes deep, a strange glint hidden within the calmness.

“Let’s have dinner together, my treat, and catch up on what happened these past few years. I’ve been away for too long, I’ve forgotten many things.”

Dong Ling’s mind was in turmoil, hearing He Diesheng say this, she agreed.

During dinner, Dong Ling carefully chose other topics to talk about, not mentioning Xuan Du.

“Where’s A Du? Knowing her personality, she must have caused some trouble, right?”

He Diesheng asked, resting her chin on her hand, a look of amusement on her face.

Almost instinctively, Dong Ling had the urge to warn Xuan Du, but she quickly suppressed it.

The situation was different now, Xuan Du wasn’t the little girl bullied by He Diesheng anymore, she had the upper hand in terms of status, and her intentions weren’t pure, she was a troublemaker.

“I went abroad six years ago, we haven’t been in contact.”

Dong Ling didn’t mention the incident that happened not long ago, it wasn’t something that could be explained in a few words, and she and He Diesheng weren’t close enough for that.

“That’s quite surprising. Knowing A Du’s personality, she would definitely cling to you, like a child grabbing onto their favorite toy, refusing to let go.”

He Diesheng raised an eyebrow, her playful tone making Dong Ling uncomfortable.

From the moment she received He Diesheng’s call, she knew why He Diesheng had returned.

She had never been able to judge who was right or wrong between Xuan Du and He Diesheng, the gap between them wasn’t just the karmic debt of their blood ties, but also the endless torment they inflicted on each other during their childhood.

Dong Ling remembered the scene she witnessed after their conflict, seven-year-old Xuan Du was punished by her angry mother, forced to stand hungry for an entire night, and nine-year-old He Diesheng was punished by kneeling for an hour because of Xuan Du’s accusations.

Standing under the eaves, facing each other, as if wanting to tear a piece of flesh from each other, Dong Ling was blocked at the door that day, and left without saying anything.

As she grew older, she realized that the adults were to blame for all of this, but only a few children would resent their parents. In most cases, they were too young to understand right and wrong, naturally attached to their parents and yearning for affection, then becoming emotional vessels in the hands of adults, growing up with resentment.

“Those are things of the past.”

Dong Ling’s tone was light, not wanting to delve deeper.

She didn’t want to get involved in other people’s family matters. She only came to pick up He Diesheng today because she was shocked by the news of her return, her mind was calm now.

“The past…”

He Diesheng chuckled, she was about to say something when she was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of an alarm.

“Sorry, I suddenly remembered I have something to do.”

Hearing the alarm on her memo, Dong Ling remembered that she had promised to take Song Mingzhi to a dinner party, He Diesheng’s appearance had made her momentarily forget about it.

“Then go ahead, I won’t trouble you to entertain me.” He Diesheng raised her glass and said cheerfully, “Wishing your movie a box office hit.”

Dong Ling hadn’t had any alcohol and simply nodded in response to He Diesheng’s well wishes. She thought He Diesheng hadn’t returned unprepared, perhaps coming to see her first was part of her plan.

Dong Ling didn’t dwell on it and rushed to Song Mingzhi as quickly as possible within the speed limit, still twenty minutes later than the agreed time.

“Sorry, something came up, I made you wait.”

Looking at Song Mingzhi getting into the passenger seat, Dong Ling said apologetically. After all, she was the one who offered to pick Song Mingzhi up, and she was the one who was late.

“It’s okay, I was just talking about some personal matters with my friend.”

Song Mingzhi said understandingly, she wasn’t making excuses, she was indeed discussing some company matters with Ji Yiling.

Ji Yiling asked if she wanted to acquire Xuan Du’s company, now was the best time to strike. Based on its commercial value, Song Mingzhi, as a businesswoman, would usually make the decision immediately, but now, she hesitated.

The girl disliked Xuan Du, and naturally didn’t want to have anything to do with Xuan Du’s things, even if that company was something Xuan Du could no longer control, Song Mingzhi didn’t want it.

Dong Ling responded, forcing a smile, and looked at the road ahead, focusing on driving.

“Did something happen? You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”

Song Mingzhi sensitively noticed something was off with Dong Ling. The box office results were excellent today, Dong Ling, as the main investor, should be overjoyed, why did she look so down?

“Xuan Du’s older sister, He Diesheng, is back.”

Dong Ling sighed deeply and briefly explained the relationship between Xuan Du and He Diesheng to Song Mingzhi.

She wouldn’t tell anyone else this, but she had a sense of trust and ease with Song Mingzhi, not worried about what she said being leaked, and it also allowed her to vent her frustrations.

“Actually, I don’t like dealing with scheming people, it’s too tiring, especially when you have to be constantly on guard, you never know when there’s a trap waiting for you.”

That was why Dong Ling liked Chen Shang Shang so much, not because Chen Shang Shang was stupid, the girl wasn’t really stupid, but she was truly straightforward.

Song Mingzhi closed her phone’s chat window unnaturally, hiding her own schemes. As a scheming person herself, she felt a little targeted.

“You should also be careful, Mingzhi. I have a feeling that He Diesheng is even more sinister than Xuan Du, although it doesn’t show on the surface. She probably won’t become my enemy, but you never know what will happen in the future. She wouldn’t hesitate to use me, and she might use you to threaten me.”

Dong Ling was mainly worried that they would use Song Mingzhi to threaten her. After all, that was the nature of threats, if they didn’t target your weakness, how could it be considered a threat?

Although Song Mingzhi was starting to become famous, she was still quite vulnerable.

The delicate canary, reminded by her sugar daddy, obediently responded, saying she would be careful.

Song Mingzhi sent a message to Ji Yiling, asking her to investigate He Diesheng.

The private room for the dinner party was booked by Cheng Ge. Dong Ling and Song Mingzhi were already a little late when they arrived.

“You’re half an hour late! We’ve been waiting forever, you have to drink three glasses as self-punishment.”

Cheng Ge seemed to have been drinking for a while, his face flushed, and he had someone fill Song Mingzhi and Dong Ling’s glasses.

Dong Ling didn’t refuse and drank the three glasses, and so did Song Mingzhi.

“Come, come, sit down, have the waiter bring out the main courses.”

Cheng Ge urged the staff, the main investor and the lead actress naturally sat with the director. Cheng Ge, his face glowing, was eager to get Song Mingzhi drunk.

“Don’t, drink with me, Mingzhi hasn’t eaten anything yet, let her have something to eat first.”

Dong Ling had already eaten. She held her full glass and clinked it against Cheng Ge’s.

“Okay, I know you care about her.”

Cheng Ge laughed heartily, and everyone else laughed along, no one thinking there was anything wrong.

Dong Ling knew Cheng Ge didn’t mean anything else, but having been bombarded by CP fans recently, she inexplicably felt a chilling sense of doting from his words.

The familiar aura of a sugar daddy and a canary emerged, and Dong Ling’s mind automatically conjured up the most frequently discussed topic among CP fans.

What should a sugar daddy do when their canary is too lustful?

Dong Ling used her glass to hide her distorted expression, she hadn’t even experienced Song Mingzhi’s lustfulness, but she was already trembling inwardly.

“Don’t drink so fast, you’ll get drunk.”

Seeing Dong Ling’s drinking style, Song Mingzhi stopped her.

“Don’t worry, I don’t get drunk easily.”

Dong Ling said confidently, and Cheng Ge became even more excited hearing this.

He was practically rubbing his hands together, his toasts coming one after another.

“A great river with wide waves, let’s raise our glasses and drink!”

“I don’t have any other bad habits, I just like to get investors drunk, and then talk to them about my movies when they’re not thinking clearly.” Cheng Ge clapped his hands and said, “A true confidant is hard to find, what’s a little investment money?”

“CEO Dong, are you interested in a love story between a robot and a zombie? Let me tell you, my idea is this…”

Dong Ling wanted to escape, having money was truly a burden.

She quickly filled Cheng Ge’s glass and said: “Come, come, drink and talk.”

Just pass out quickly and shut your mouth.

Song Mingzhi wanted to help Dong Ling, but was rejected by the excited Cheng Ge, he didn’t give her any face, insisting on telling Dong Ling the plot of his next movie.

“Think about it, robots have no human emotions, and zombies, in the human imagination, have also lost normal human emotions, they can’t even be considered human. In this situation, isn’t the spark between a human and a non-human very romantic and beautiful?”

Dong Ling was forced to listen to him talk about robots and zombies all night, her head spinning.

As Song Mingzhi helped her out, Dong Ling was still waving her hand.

“Don’t say it, don’t say it, it’s okay…”

“It’s over, let’s go home, Ling Ling.”

Song Mingzhi amusedly stopped Dong Ling’s flailing hand and led her towards the car.

“Is it over? Are the robot and the zombie done falling in love?”

Dong Ling asked drunkenly, her words slurred.

Dong Ling felt a headache, she didn’t know why she asked this question, but these things kept swirling in her mind, as if Cheng Ge’s voice was still ringing in her ears.

She now understood why many investors were reluctant to work with Cheng Ge, they had probably all suffered at his hands.

Song Mingzhi hadn’t heard the ending of the story, because the drunk Cheng Ge had changed the subject again, and didn’t mention the ending at all, so she replied uncertainly: “Probably.”

Dong Ling started crying.

She didn’t want to know if the robot and the zombie fell in love, she wasn’t interested in it at all, her head hurt, and her thoughts were out of control.

Song Mingzhi helped Dong Ling into the back seat, closed the door, and was about to call her assistant to drive when she saw Dong Ling crying and put down her phone in a panic, wiping Dong Ling’s tears.

“Why are they falling in love? wuwuwu, I don’t want them to fall in love, zombies should fight plants, why is it the end of the world? I don’t want it…”

Dong Ling’s words were incoherent, her face wet with tears, looking pitiful.

“Do they even know how painful it is to save the world?! I worked so hard to save the world!”

Song Mingzhi knew she was just being drunk and quickly coaxed her: “Okay, they won’t be together, and there won’t be an apocalypse.”

Seeing Song Mingzhi’s face clearly, Dong Ling cried even harder.

“There will be an apocalypse, why don’t you want to…”

Her 3% main storyline progress that day, so much progress, if only Song Mingzhi had taken the initiative.

Song Mingzhi followed the drunkard’s words: “Don’t want to do what?”

Dong Ling sobbed: “Don’t want to do intimate things with me…”

021: [Girl!!!! No!!!!]

[Do you know what you’re doing?! Don’t say it! You’ll want to kill yourself when you sober up!]

“You’re even yelling at me! Why are you yelling at me?!”

Dong Ling’s head buzzed from being yelled at, feeling even more aggrieved.

Song Mingzhi, who had been inexplicably blamed twice within half a minute, felt for the first time that thinking was such a strenuous task.