The entire production team stared dumbfoundedly at Ji Xingzhu, each one of them momentarily forgetting how to react.
Song Qingchi was the only one who could remain calm. He silently watched the graceful figure upstairs, his gaze beneath the gold-rimmed glasses dark and profound. After a long while, he lowered his head slightly, took a deliberate sip of tea, and withdrew his gaze.
He quietly toyed with the teacup in his hand, his slender fingers gently rubbing the cup’s surface. A sudden thought flashed through his mind—
Having gotten used to this fiancée’s constant chatter in his head, he had almost forgotten… she was this beautiful.
Compared to Song Qingchi’s calmness and the others’ admiration, when Wen Yajun saw Ji Xingzhu, she only felt horror.
She glared fiercely at Ji Xingzhu, her eyes burning with intense anger and hatred. She clearly agreed to lend her the villa for the show, just for one day. Couldn’t Ji Xingzhu just leave? Did she have to come out and steal the spotlight?
Wen Yajun thought this was perfectly reasonable, completely forgetting this wasn’t her home and she had no right to comment on the villa owner’s comings and goings. Of course, she also overlooked Ji Xingzhu’s statement, “He’s here for me.”
It never crossed Wen Yajun’s mind that Ji Xingzhu might be participating in the dating show. She only thought Ji Xingzhu wanted to steal her screen time and was also worried she might expose the fact that she borrowed the villa.
So, before Ji Xingzhu could speak again, Wen Yajun hurriedly explained to the cameras, “She… she’s my sister. We’re family.”
They were family, so it was natural they lived together. Wen Yajun deliberately used ambiguous wording to blur the villa’s ownership.
Ji Xingzhu gave her a fleeting glance, seeing her stubbornly sticking to her story even now, and inwardly scoffed. However, she didn’t deliberately expose Wen Yajun either. She simply rested her hand on the stair railing and descended the stairs with graceful swaying steps.
The moment Ji Xingzhu reached the ground floor, a large number of people seemed to appear out of nowhere in this spacious villa!
“Young Miss, you’re awake. Would you like breakfast now?”
“Young Miss, please rinse your mouth first.”
“Today’s breakfast includes the Cantonese morning tea you like. I’ve also prepared sandwiches and salad. Which would you prefer?”
…
They wore matching uniforms, their movements crisp and efficient, working together seamlessly with trained precision. Moreover, they all focused solely on Ji Xingzhu, aiming to provide her with the best service!
Ji Xingzhu strolled leisurely to the dining table; even the chair was pulled out for her. She remained completely unperturbed throughout. She paid these people high salaries precisely to receive the best, most sincere service from them—a fair transaction, nothing more.
Everyone stared in astonishment at this scene; even the live stream audience was stunned.
[??? Who is this young lady? I want to know everything about her in one minute!]
[Wait, were there this many servants hidden in the villa? Where were they earlier?]
[Oh, this is a bit awkward… Wen Yajun said she and this young lady are sisters, but Wen Yajun couldn’t order a single servant in the villa. These servants only serve the newly arrived young lady…]
[I have a feeling this young lady is the true owner of the villa.]
[Help, my second-hand embarrassment is acting up again! Wen Yajun was just showing off “her” villa, flaunting her status as the owner everywhere. Now someone who acts even more like the owner has shown up… I just saw her face turn green.]
Wen Yajun’s expression was indeed very unpleasant. She took several deep breaths to barely suppress the anger in her heart. Forcing a smile, she stepped forward, wanting to stand beside Ji Xingzhu and show their “sisterly affection” to prove they were both villa owners.
However, Ji Xingzhu didn’t even spare her a glance. The imposing young lady shifted her gaze towards the entrance.
The new male guest, Lin Yifei, was standing there dumbfounded, completely unsure how to react.
Ji Xingzhu took a sip of milk and gave a slight beckoning gesture towards Lin Yifei, her every movement exuding nonchalance—truly a high-and-mighty young lady.
“Come, have a seat,” Ji Xingzhu said to Lin Yifei.
Lin Yifei hesitated for a moment, then walked inside with light steps and, guided by a servant, took a seat opposite Ji Xingzhu.
Wen Yajun grew anxious and quickly stepped forward. “Xiao Zhu, this is a male guest from the dating show. He’s here for me, you—”
“Shut up!” Ji Xingzhu glared at her with displeasure. “Don’t disturb me while I’m eating. It kills my appetite.”
She completely disregarded the live cameras pointed directly at her, still glaring coldly at Wen Yajun without the slightest courtesy.
Wen Yajun clenched her fists, feeling deeply humiliated. But at the same time, she felt a secret glee. She stealthily glanced at the cameras, perfectly displaying a look of loss and sorrow—the very picture of a bullied, pitiable soul.
Wen Yajun thought somewhat smugly to herself: Perhaps she should be thankful that Ji Xingzhu was so arrogant and domineering she couldn’t be bothered to hide it. With Ji Xingzhu as a contrast, she wouldn’t lack for the audience’s sympathy and affection.
However, the next second, Wen Yajun’s hidden delight froze. Because Lin Yifei said to her quite bluntly, “I’m not here for you. I’m here for Female Guest No. 1.”
Female Guest No. 1?
Wen Yajun was stunned. She was Female Guest No. 4, so it seemed she wasn’t the one Lin Yifei was looking for. But why would he come to the villa for No. 1…
Before Wen Yajun could figure it out, Ji Xingzhu spoke up leisurely, her voice crisp and clear. “I am Female Guest No. 1.”
“What?!” Wen Yajun turned pale with shock, staring blankly at Ji Xingzhu, momentarily unable to react.
Director Lu Xuguang, however, wasn’t surprised at all. By now, he had eagerly stepped forward and started interviewing his investor boss… ahem, Female Guest No. 1, as per procedure. “Hello, could you briefly introduce yourself to the audience?”
Ji Xingzhu was always casual and self-centered, unconcerned with rules like not speaking while eating or sleeping. She spoke while having breakfast, yet still appeared elegant, not the least bit rude. “My name is Ji Xingzhu. Recently, I had nothing better to do, so I joined a dating show for fun.”
Heh, actually forced to participate by that scummy male lead. But she had to pretend it was a whim of her own to avoid Song Qingchi suspecting his “system’s” capabilities!
Wen Yajun finally reacted, exclaiming, “Ji Xingzhu, you… you also joined the dating show? Why didn’t you tell me?!”
Ji Xingzhu gave her a casual glance and chuckled lightly. “I wanted to give you a surprise.”
Then she explained to the camera, “Wen Yajun is my cousin. She said she was about to film a dating show and wanted to stay at my house for a while. I thought since we’re both participating, living together would be quite convenient, so I agreed.”
“How about it? I considered your production team, didn’t I?” Ji Xingzhu raised her chin, her beautiful face openly displaying triumph.
“Yes, yes,” Director Lu Xuguang smiled ingratiatingly. “Miss Ji is truly wise and kind. Having two female guests living together greatly reduces our pressure. Filming is much easier!”
Wen Yajun: “…”
Wen Yajun swayed slightly, her face as pale as a ghost. She finally understood—Ji Xingzhu had set her up!
Although Ji Xingzhu didn’t outright call her hypocritical or snobbish, she clearly stated that Wen Yajun was staying as a guest… Now, what else wouldn’t everyone understand?!
[I knew there was more to the story! So the beauty is the real villa owner. Wen Yajun is just a cousin staying over.]
[Oh my god, how dare Wen Yajun? Earlier, she was acting all high and mighty introducing the villa, really treating it as her own home?]
[Dying of laughter. Wen Yajun was trying so hard to show off how luxurious the villa was, but it all ended up benefitting Ji Xingzhu. Everyone’s envy and admiration for the villa owner shifted to Ji Xingzhu.]
[Wen Yajun—a dutiful real estate tour guide~]
[Don’t go too far! Since our Yajun is Ji Xingzhu’s cousin, her family background must be good too! She just stayed with her cousin for the convenience of filming the show. Why do you say she’s vain?]
[Hmph, that Ji Xingzhu looks very scheming. She just told our Yajun to “shut up.” What kind of cousin is so rude? Feel sorry for Yajun!]
[Wait, if they’re cousins, why are their surnames different?]
Some in the barrage noticed the cousins had different surnames. Naturally, the people on set also realized this. But they could guess there was probably a story behind it, maybe even a wealthy family secret, so they dared not ask lightly.
But there was always someone blunt. Lin Yifei asked boldly, “Miss Ji, aren’t you and Miss Wen cousins? Why is one surnamed Ji and the other Wen?”
Ji Xingzhu raised an eyebrow slightly, giving him an appreciative, satisfied look—she’d been waiting for this question.
Ignoring Wen Yajun’s pleading gaze, Ji Xingzhu lowered her eyes to admire her newly done nails, replying nonchalantly with a smile, “Because I take my mother’s surname. My father was a university student my grandfather sponsored in the past. Later, he married into our family.”
With that statement, everyone present fell silent—they felt embarrassed on Wen Yajun’s behalf.
[Hahaha… Wen Yajun’s fans still trying to save face? Ji Xingzhu’s father is just a live-in son-in-law. Being sponsored for university suggests a very ordinary, even poor, family background. So as a cousin, Wen Yajun is a genuine poor relative to Ji Xingzhu. How dare she pretend to be a rich young lady?]
[Oh, this… If only the Ji family’s wealth came from her father, I’d think Wen Yajun could claim some connection to wealth. But now… I won’t say who’s embarrassed.]
[Damn, earlier I thought Song Qingchi, though handsome, didn’t know how to handle things. Meeting a wealthy heiress like Wen Yajun, he wasn’t even a little attentive, standing there like a block of wood. Now it seems he’s the truly smart one!]
[Hahaha, exactly! If Song Qingchi had been a bit more enthusiastic towards Wen Yajun earlier, he’d be the second most embarrassed now. (We all know who’s first.)]
[Speaking of which, where’s Song Qingchi? Haven’t seen him on camera for a while. This guy, with a face that outshines all male celebrities in the entertainment industry, why is his personality so low-key! Director, I want to see the handsome guy. Give us some camera time!]
…
Wen Yajun knew she had been set up, grinding her teeth in hatred. But she forced a smile and said gently, “Xiao Zhu and I have been close since childhood, so she let me stay here.”
She knew the situation was beyond salvage. Now, her only lifeline was—marketing a deep sisterly bond with Ji Xingzhu, trying to suppress the fact that Ji Xingzhu said the villa was hers.
Ji Xingzhu gave her a meaningful look, a hint of mockery in the curve of her lips, but she didn’t refute her on the spot.
Wen Yajun had made enough of a fool of herself today to suffer for a long time. Ji Xingzhu was quite satisfied. She didn’t want to crush someone completely in one go; after all, the dating show had just started. There was plenty of time ahead…
It was more satisfying to slowly play the prey to death.
Ji Xingzhu elegantly ate a shrimp dumpling. No one knew what malicious thoughts lay beneath her lazy, charming smile.
Ah, she truly was a qualified malicious female supporting character!
Cannon Fodder System 999: “…”
Dares not speak.jpg
But although Ji Xingzhu didn’t intend to crush Wen Yajun completely, she certainly wouldn’t give her a pleasant face either. She ignored her cousin’s deliberate attempts to get close, instead lifting her chin towards Lin Yifei. “Want to have some?”
Given Lin Yifei’s earlier performance, she didn’t mind being a little nicer to him.
Lin Yifei rationally felt it wasn’t good to mooch a meal right after meeting, but he stared fixedly at the table full of delicacies, unconsciously swallowing. “C-can I?”
Lin Yifei felt somewhat guilty. Honestly, as a “trendy guy,” he usually made others feel awkward, never having felt this uneasy himself.
But… looking at Ji Xingzhu’s stunningly beautiful face and that haughty, star-of-the-show aura, Lin Yifei silently lowered his head, somewhat afraid to look directly at her.
Hearing this, without needing Ji Xingzhu’s specific instruction, a very perceptive servant had already served Lin Yifei a portion of the meal.
Lin Yifei initially wanted to be reserved, but the Ji family’s head chef was a top-tier cook hired at an astronomical price. Soon, he was eating with abandon, even forgetting he was there for a dating show.
Lu Xuguang frequently signaled Lin Yifei with his eyes, hinting he should interact with the female guest he chose, but Lin Yifei kept his head down eating, completely wasting his good intentions.
While Ji Xingzhu was leisurely finishing her breakfast, 999 secretly “curried favor” with her. “Host, Wen Yajun’s expression earlier was terrible. Now people online are also calling her hypocritical. Do you feel a bit better?”
“Passable,” Ji Xingzhu replied indifferently. Tormenting Wen Yajun was just her pastime, not something she truly cared about.
“Then… hehe, host, what’s your plan next? Just film the dating show normally, see if you can have a sweet romance?” Asking this, 999 felt a bit guilty.
Back when he begged Ji Xingzhu to moonlight as the golden finger for the male lead, he already felt bad for her. Now Ji Xingzhu was forced to join the dating show with the male lead… 999 was almost ashamed beyond belief, his attitude towards Ji Xingzhu becoming even more sycophantic.
“A sweet romance? How could that be!” Ji Xingzhu scoffed.
She narrowed her eyes dangerously, snorting, “9, don’t forget my identity. I’m the male lead’s malicious fiancée, constantly suppressing and mocking him in the original story.”
“Now, Song Qingchi has given me this chance to be with him day and night. Of course, I have to fulfill my duty as the malicious female supporting character.”
Ji Xingzhu put down her chopsticks, elegantly wiped the corner of her mouth, and smiled at 999. “Don’t worry. During the filming of this dating show, I’ll spare no effort to… make trouble and pick on the male lead.”
Cannon Fodder System 999: “…”
He knew his host was never one to suffer losses!
Ah, he almost felt a bit of pity for the male lead. Why on earth did he insist on Ji Xingzhu joining the show with him…
Ji Xingzhu stood up, slightly raising her delicate chin. Her bright, captivating peach blossom eyes swept around as if a queen inspecting her territory.
Everyone unconsciously held their breath. Though they didn’t know what the young miss was looking for, it felt rather intimidating…
Finally, Ji Xingzhu’s gaze landed on the man sitting upright on the sofa in the living room.
From the moment Ji Xingzhu appeared, everyone’s attention was fixed on this wealthy young lady. Then, the subtle rivalry between the two female guests was equally captivating. For a dating show, the audience ended up focusing only on the female guests; the male guests were almost forgotten.
And Song Qingchi didn’t seem interested in seeking attention either. He had been gentle, refined, and elegant from start to finish, flawless in etiquette, appearing like an amiable, mild-mannered person. But in reality, he spoke very little, seemingly deliberately lowering his presence.
At this moment, while everyone gathered around the dining table, Song Qingchi remained quietly seated on the sofa, like a cool, tall, and upright bamboo.
Uniquely, a snow-white cat had somehow appeared on his lap at some point, meowing and rubbing against his fingers. He looked somewhat absent-minded as he played with the cat, his slender fingers lazily scratching under its chin, the smile on his face deepening considerably.
Ji Xingzhu narrowed her eyes and immediately strode over with an imposing air. She stopped beside Song Qingchi, snatched the white cat from his arms, looked down at him condescendingly, and snorted:
“This is my cat. You’re not allowed to touch it!”
Heh, malicious female supporting character picking on the male lead—begin!