Forced to Pretend to Be an A and Marry the Best Actress Omega - Chapter 24

When the six guests had all dressed up and donned their animal headgear to greet the audience on camera, the live chat exploded with viewers gushing about how adorable they looked.

These props are so beautifully made! Wearing them really captures the vibe of an animal ball.

Our show’s production team is top-notch—aside from that one rotten apple in the props department who’s a constant headache, everything else is absolutely fantastic!

 

Oh my god, Yuyu’s fox costume is stunning!! Did she just wink when she greeted everyone? That wink was meant for me!

 

Keep dreaming. Didn’t you see Jiang Lingyu standing next to Wanzhi? She winked at Wanzhi, who’s playing the kitten.

For new viewers, here’s who’s who: Fox (Jiang Lingyu), Kitten (Xu Wanzhi), Tiger (Teacher Lin), Bear (Wen Yue), Ant (Shen Wansui), Lion (He Yanzhen). The first three are in one team, the latter three in another.

 

Pfft, how did an ant end up among all these giant creatures? My heart goes out to our SuiSui for a second.

 

The bridge looks like it can move in all directions. Wouldn’t animals with vastly different weights have a harder time crossing?

Who in the props department came up with these games? Genius, come take your beating!

As the chat buzzed with discussions about the game rules, the guests made their way to the starting area. Based on the draw, Jiang Lingyu’s team would take the colorful bridge, while Wen Yue’s team would use the wooden one.

Since the game hadn’t officially started yet, the guests removed their headgear after greeting the audience.

Jiang Lingyu walked slowly, reaching the final step.

Ever since Yi Baoyou had them draw lots for teams, she had been observing the opposite side.

Wen Yue visibly relaxed upon seeing her team assigned to the wooden bridge—a reaction Jiang Lingyu didn’t miss.

Why? What could the bear’s special trait be? Their bridge was so vividly colored—was it related to color?

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice her foot hadn’t quite landed on the step.

Xu Mifei, who had been waiting in the preparation area, instinctively reached out to steady Jiang Lingyu—only to have her hand slapped away by Xu Wanzhi, who had been sticking close to Jiang Lingyu the entire time.

“Not your place,” Xu Wanzhi said mockingly. “Staff should focus on their duties, shouldn’t they?”

Seeing Jiang Lingyu had regained her balance, Xu Mifei averted her gaze and replied matter-of-factly, “The props team is responsible for your safety.”

She took half a step back. “Everyone, please double-check your safety equipment.”

? Peacock Xu, that’s crossing a line. The guests are filming a show—do you even know your place?

 

Admit it, you’re just using your staff status to get close to Yuyu! What kind of person does that?! Thank goodness Wanzhi’s there to guard her.

Pretending to be professional while probably seething inside. No wonder we haven’t seen her stir up trouble all morning—she was saving it for this moment.

 

Since when do third wheels get a say in couples’ matters? I’d like to know.

Jiang Lingyu’s gaze lingered on Xu Mifei until Xu Wanzhi stepped between them.

“Lingyu, let me check yours. Can you help me with the fastenings on my back?” Xu Wanzhi turned around, presenting her back to Jiang Lingyu.

The safety vest was worn underneath the costume, which meant Jiang Lingyu had to first unzip Xu Wanzhi’s outfit. For some reason, she hesitated before making a move.

Xu Mifei took over the task, swiftly pulling down Xu Wanzhi’s zipper with a sharp zip.

“Let a professional check for you. Life is important—can’t risk you wearing it wrong.” Xu Mifei tilted the camera downward, and the cameraman smoothly adjusted the angle to focus solely on her hands.

“What are you doing?!” Xu Wanzhi gritted her teeth, trying to break free. Who asked Xu Mifei to step in?! Yet, no matter how she struggled, she couldn’t shake loose. Behind her, the sound of a buckle unfastening and refastening echoed, and the camera clearly captured that Xu Wanzhi’s safety vest hadn’t been properly secured.

Deft, pale fingers weaved through the seemingly complex structure, clean knuckles bending as they hooked onto straps, moving like nimble fish.

“Your safety awareness isn’t great,” Xu Mifei clicked her tongue twice, sighing. “If you fell into the water like this, you’d be swept away. How could you even check others’ gear then? Jiang Lingyu, come here, let me see.”

She pushed Xu Wanzhi forward and called out to the others, “Anyone unsure about their safety vests can come to me for a check.”

“Stop being so full of yourself. You really think you’re that professional?” Xu Wanzhi turned to reach for Jiang Lingyu but grasped at air.

“Xu Wanzhi, if you’re caught in an underwater vortex without your vest properly secured, who’s going to save you? And if someone gets hurt because you failed to check their gear, will you take responsibility?”

Xu Wanzhi froze at Xu Mifei’s half-smirking expression.

Even the live chat chimed in,
Zhizhi baby, just let her show off. If anything goes wrong, it’s on the props team.
Thinks she’s so impressive—let’s see how Peacock Xu crashes and burns.

Xu Mifei gestured lightly for Jiang Lingyu to step forward. With a businesslike demeanor, she unzipped her vest, inspected it, then said, “Jiang Lingyu’s is perfectly secured. Good. Next.”

Jiang Lingyu’s heart skipped a beat when Xu Mifei zipped her back up and patted her shoulder.

She also heard Xu Mifei murmur, “Relax and have fun. Nothing will happen.”

Earlier, when she changed inside, her costume had been neatly arranged, and the safety vest inside was the same—buckles and straps all loosely fastened in their proper places, so she only had to follow suit.

She thought everyone had it the same way.

Only now did she realize that wasn’t the case.

The other guests, who had been ready long before, crowded around Xu Mifei, asking her to check their vests.

“Little Xu, check mine quick! I knew something felt off when I put it on.”
“Me too! And my partner’s as well!”
“…”

Oh… uh… So, she wasn’t deliberately trying to touch Jiang Lingyu? Mixed feelings.jpg]
Wait, can someone tell me just how nimble Xu Mifei’s hands are? I barely saw anything before she fixed it in a flash.
Are we talking work nimble or… other kinds? You’re being sus.
Hey, all of Peacock Xu’s exes, come out and talk! This is a prime chance to go viral—why pass it up?!
Right, how come none of them have actually come forward to expose her?

With enough money, an ex-girlfriend becomes a sugar mommy. What’s there to expose?

The camera sure knows how to shoot—completely forgetting about the game rules just to focus on Xu Mifei’s hands

After adjusting everyone’s safety gear, Xu Mifei didn’t miss the murderous glare Xu Wanzhi shot her way.

Instead, she responded with a wink.

“Good luck,” Xu Mifei said.

A sudden chill ran down Xu Wanzhi’s spine. For a moment, she thought Xu Mifei had seen right through her.

Impossible. This opportunistic fool was just here for fun.

Quickly, Xu Wanzhi suppressed the unease in her heart.

The game officially began. After selecting Jiang Lingyu and Shen Wansui as the VIPs to escort, the two teams stepped onto the suspension bridge.

Both teams instinctively placed their VIPs in the middle, but as soon as the first person stepped on, the entire bridge began to tilt downward.

“It’s based on weight. I’m a fox—12 kilograms,” Jiang Lingyu realized immediately. “Check the traits on the back of your badges.”

“I’m a cat—6 kilograms. The trait says ‘feline family solidarity’—with ‘lion’ in parentheses.” Xu Wanzhi didn’t understand the trait but answered truthfully.

Lin Su said, “I’m a tiger—250 kilograms. The trait says, ‘two kings cannot coexist.’”

So, it really was based on weight!

They had initially let Lin Su lead, which naturally caused the bridge to tilt.

The center of the bridge was the absolute balancing point. If there were no weight-increasing task items, there might be other tasks.

“Let’s adjust. Teacher Lin, you’ll need to stay on the shore. Xu Wanzhi and I will go first. You hold the bridge steady from behind, then slowly cross once we reach the balancing point,” Jiang Lingyu quickly proposed a solution, and the other two agreed.

The other team also figured out the trick and adjusted accordingly.

The difference was, Wen Yue suddenly had Shen Wansui—who was dressed in an ant costume—sit on her shoulders and began wobbling toward the center of the bridge.

Damn, Yuyu is so smart—figured it out instantly!

 

How did a variety show turn into a circus act? Now I have to admit Xu Mifei was right to double-check the safety gear—otherwise, one slip and its game over

 

I just saw the ant’s badge in the camera shot—60mg weight. No choice but to ride on the bear’s head, huh?

 

I feel like it’s not that simple. Once they reach the center, they won’t be able to get their other teammate across. The bridge shifts based on weight, like a seesaw—you need someone of the right weight to counterbalance.

Jiang Lingyu and Xu Wanzhi gradually reached the center of the bridge. Lin Su released her footing and glanced over to see He Yanzhen slowly making her way across.

Unable to resist, Lin Su called out, “Zhenzhen, be careful.”

“We’ve already won,” He Yanzhen even had the leisure to take off her headgear and reply. “Your team’s weight distribution is too uneven. If those two go first, sacrificing you is the optimal solution.”

“……” Lin Su angrily pulled her own headgear back on and muttered, “I show concern for you, and you respond by trying to sabotage our team’s unity.”

HAHAHAHAHAHA Teacher Lin’s rage lasted all of one second

 

Oho, but Sister Zhenzhen has a point—Team Jiang doesn’t stand a chance.

They’ve reached the center point, huh? Why did Wen Yue keep moving forward after putting Suisui down?

 

Wen Yue is the bear, Sister Zhenzhen is the lion. There’s still a weight difference between these two animals. To get Sister Zhenzhen to the center point, the bear needs to keep moving forward to balance the seesaw properly.

Big brain moment! I lack the intellect for this; thank you bullet chat master’s for solving the puzzle.

With the collective wisdom from the bullet comments, the audience quickly understood the contestants’ actions. However, the participants themselves lacked this omniscient perspective and had to deduce the opposing team’s strategy and animal characteristics on their own.

Jiang Lingyu observed the movements across the way.

“There’s no visible task in the middle. We can’t bring Teacher Lin over this way,” Xu Wanzhi quickly analyzed. “Why don’t we have Teacher Lin hold this position for us? Then we can successfully cross the river. If you, our VIP, can complete the escort mission, sacrificing one teammate isn’t a big deal.”

“You forget this is a team mission,” Jiang Lingyu disagreed with Xu Wanzhi’s suggestion. She believed there had to be another way—this task wasn’t timed; they just needed to win before the other team.

Even if the opponents were nearing the finish line, they could still disrupt their progress to buy time.

Any approach would be better than resorting to sacrificing teammates as a last resort.

“We need to figure out their characteristics,” Jiang Lingyu said, watching He Yanzhen who was also approaching the center point. “All the tasks revolve around this concept of ‘characteristics.'”

The vibrant color of their bridge couldn’t just be a coincidence.

“It’s just a game—winning is all that matters,” Xu Wanzhi said helplessly to Jiang Lingyu. “They’re about to win over there. The bear and lion have similar weights. The lion can stabilize the bridge to let the bear cross first, then jump across herself before the seesaw loses balance.”

At that moment, both teams stood simultaneously at the center of their respective rope bridges.

“Click—”

The sound of a mechanism activating echoed, and instantly, both bridges began to rotate!

Caught completely off guard, everyone lost their balance momentarily. Wen Yue and Shen Wansui fell heavily onto the bridge surface, but thanks to their prop costumes and safety gear underneath, they weren’t injured.

“Oh my god… Deputy Xu, you saved my life! Ahhh!” Wen Yue’s voice came muffled from inside the bear costume as she clung to the bridge’s edge, nearly falling off, her heart pounding with fear.

“I’m gonna puke from fright. I’m wearing safety gear—can I just swim across instead?” Shen Wansui shouted.

Xu Mifei had already boarded the Flyer. From her elevated position, she could easily observe the contestants’ situation and gave Wen Yue a reassuring thumbs-up.

“All contestants are fine,” Xu Mifei said, her gaze lingering briefly on Jiang Lingyu. “We can begin.”

At that moment, the two bridges aligned perfectly, moving and merging together.

For three seconds, they stayed connected before separating again and continuing to rotate.

“There!” Jiang Lingyu seized the brief pause, grabbing Xu Wanzhi. “When the bridges merge, pull the bear over to the other side of the seesaw. That way, we can get Teacher Lin across.”

Xu Wanzhi looked astonished. “How would that work?”

“Bears have poor eyesight and can’t cross brightly colored bridges. The key is to get it onto our bridge. Teacher Lin’s trait is ‘Kings Avoid Each Other’—she can’t face off against Sister Zhenzhen. Tigers and lions are the ones that avoid each other.”

“You block Sister Zhenzhen later, and I’ll go bring Wen Yue over.” Jiang Lingyu quickly analyzed, playing earnestly. In her urgency, she leaned closer to Xu Wanzhi.

Xu Wanzhi’s mind wandered slightly, her voice softening: “But how could I possibly stop a lion?”

“Your trait is ‘Feline Family,’ with ‘lion’ in parentheses—meaning you can nullify one lion attack. So, it has to be you.” Jiang Lingyu said calmly.

OMG OMG OMG she solved it so fast! While others were still panicking, she already figured out the entire strategy! Yuyu baby, you’ll succeed at anything you do!

 

LOL our Yuyu earned her double Golden Actress awards through sheer skill—acting requires intelligence too, OK?

 

Yuyu and Zhizhi’s interactions are the sweetest! How about that? That extra person watching must be seething with jealousy! Serves you right for coming here to torture yourself.

Though Xu Mifei’s name wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the barrage of comments, the shippers never missed a chance to highlight her irrelevance.

Jin Chiyu couldn’t take it anymore.

Because what she saw on camera was completely different.

“Director, pan out and include CEO Xu in the wide shot.”

When the camera switched to an aerial view, everyone caught a fleeting glimpse of Xu Mifei’s expression.

The comments instantly flooded with question marks.

Did I see that right? Xu Mifei was looking at Yuyu with admiration??? Admiring her own fiancée and her rival like that?

 

Pure admiration, no doubt—even with an auntie’s proud smile!

 

If I were standing that close, watching Jiang Lingyu instantly devise a solution and analyze the opponents, I’d be grinning like crazy too.

 

Some people are so hypocritical. When shipping, they claim Jiang Lingyu and Xu Wanzhi are the real deal, but the moment Xu Mifei admires Jiang Lingyu normally, they suddenly remember Jiang Lingyu is her fiancée.

Preach. Been wanting to say this for a while—Xu Mifei’s actually been helping out as staff since the show started.

Scary. Did Xu Mifei hire trolls?

 

…But Xu Mifei’s expression made me deeply relate to the satisfaction of a career fan.

 

Her face has always been undeniable—it’s just that she ruined everyone’s goodwill with her past antics. Hard to trust now (gasping for air).

Perhaps it was an illusion, but Xu Mifei thought she saw Jiang Lingyu glance up at her.

But when she looked back, Jiang Lingyu remained as before, watching the two bridges for an opportunity.

Soon, the two bridges aligned again.

Jiang Lingyu and Xu Wanzhi dashed out.

Xu Wanzhi went to block He Yanzhen as planned, while Jiang Lingyu targeted Wen Yue, who was about to help Shen Wansui, pulling her onto their bridge.

Wen Yue: “???”

The vibrant bridge began to descend, but the bear remained motionless.

Jiang Lingyu knew she’d guessed right. She called to the other side: “Teacher Lin, now! Hurry over!”

Bears cannot recognize colored bridges and must have guides. Their characteristic is that they can only follow the person leading them, which is why they carry ants on their shoulders.

Ants are natural direction leaders.

At this point, Wen Yue could only follow Jiang Lingyu’s direction. Her weight balanced perfectly with Lin Su’s.

Lin Su quickly reached the center point while Jiang Lingyu and Xu Wanzhi steadily guided Wen Yue toward the opposite side, nearing the finish line.

Xu Wanzhi lowered her gaze, pressing her lips into a thin line where the cameras couldn’t see.

How could this be going so smoothly? They shouldn’t have reached the other side of the river this quickly! If it were just a seesaw, there should have been some imbalance.

Imbalance would inevitably lead to someone falling into the water.

Yet no one had fallen in so far.

What she needed to do hadn’t been accomplished yet—they couldn’t win like this.

Victory wasn’t her goal in this round.

The bear was almost at the opposite shore, with the cat and fox pushing it forward, the bridge maintaining a delicate balance all the while.

Then, the two bridges merged again.

These three seconds were crucial. The two on the opposite side suddenly moved—He Yanzhen dashed forward to confront Lin Su.

“No! Teacher Lin can’t face the lion!” Xu Wanzhi turned back urgently. At that moment, Wen Yue broke free from her grip, while Shen Wansui rushed over from the other bridge, leading Wen Yue back to the center and onto her own bridge.

The weight of an ant was negligible—when alone on the bridge, she could move freely without disrupting the balance.

And the ant’s guiding ability brought the bear back.

The balance of the colored bridge shattered in an instant, tilting toward the water. He Yanzhen and Lin Su, one a lion and the other a tiger, stood off against each other.

Kings do not meet.

A stalemate was no solution. If the bridges merged again and He Yanzhen returned to the original wooden bridge, their victory would be assured.

They were so close to winning…

Jiang Lingyu frowned, glancing at Xu Wanzhi beside her, irritation flaring—how had she ended up with such a useless teammate?

Suddenly, she remembered Xu Mifei’s whispered words before the game began.

“Play freely. Nothing will go wrong.”

Resolved, Jiang Lingyu spoke over the swaying bridge: “Everyone jumps in. This is a team battle—if we all swim across together, we win.”

The opposing team, with He Yanzhen stranded here, wouldn’t have time to rebalance. By the time they got him back to their bridge, they should already have reached the other side.

Xu Wanzhi arched a brow. “Are you sure? Who knows what dangers are underwater?”

“We have safety vests.”

He Yanzhen, hearing their plan, realized they might lose and blurted, “Do you believe them? What’s the fox’s trait? I’ve already seen it—the fox’s trait is lying.”

“Isn’t this the show’s usual trick? First, they have Lingyu tell the truth, then give her a lie buff—remember? This time, they must have made her speak to earn a truth reward or something.”

He was bluffing, but he happened to be right.

Jin Chiyu, watching from the monitor, covered his face: This season’s guests really bring out the best in each other. Kings not meeting is one thing, but this…

Xu Wanzhi hesitated, but Lin Su said, “Then jump. It’s all or nothing.”

He Yanzhen’s voice sharpened. “Lin Su, are you really willing to risk everything just to beat me? There’s no need for this.”

Xu Wanzhi gritted her teeth: “Fine, since Teacher Lin has spoken, then let’s jump. I’ll jump too. If anything happens, I won’t let the props team off easy.”

Xu Mifei clearly heard the words “props team,” and a cold glint appeared in her eyes.

Xu Wanzhi began setting the stage.

Clearly, she just wanted to target Jiang Lingyu alone—why dress it up with such high-sounding excuses?

Moreover, by specifically naming the props team before jumping, Xu Wanzhi subtly guided the audience, laying the groundwork for Jiang Lingyu’s subsequent fall into the water and being dragged under.

She lowered the Flyer slightly.

From Jiang Lingyu’s perspective, all it took was a slight upward glance to see those neatly laced combat boots.

Xu Mifei even tied her shoelaces with such precision—meticulous, the ends twisted into spiral-shaped bows, the leather smooth without a single crease.

Had Jiang Lingyu never met Xu Mifei before, these details alone would have painted the picture of a gentle, courteous Alpha with exacting standards for herself.

How bizarre. How contradictory.

What kind of person was Xu Mifei, really?

As the two bridges drew close again, Jiang Lingyu and the others all jumped into the water.

“Let’s jump too!” Wen Yue called to He Yanzhen on the other side. “Sister Zhenzhen, no point waiting to fetch you—let’s just swim across as a team and win!”

Splash! Splash! …

Xu Wanzhi scoffed disdainfully at the sounds.

Like dumplings dropping into a pot? Fine, jump, all of you. You’re just extras anyway, a bunch of fools.

The game didn’t matter. What mattered was making Jiang Lingyu trust her completely here, even if it meant Jiang Lingyu would suffer a little.

So what? As long as Jiang Lingyu ended up unharmed, a small hardship was just part of the process.

She’d make up for it later.

Her costume was lighter, her safety gear too, so she’d surface more easily—even faster than the rescuers in reaching Jiang Lingyu.

All she needed now was a slightly stronger current.

Xu Wanzhi paddled leisurely forward, only to feel an inexplicable force dragging her down!

Confused, she glanced to the side—water instantly flooded her costume, the fur visibly soaking at an alarming rate.

The river was swallowing her.

This couldn’t be happening. This couldn’t be happening.

Her calm strokes turned frantic, but she seemed caught in a small underwater vortex. The waterlogged costume grew unbearably heavy, yanking her down rapidly.

The river wasn’t even that deep, yet wave after wave battered her, leaving her disoriented and flailing helplessly underwater.

Only the live audience, with their split-screen underwater feed, could see the truth.

The other guests, after the initial moment of freefall, had quickly realized they could simply stand on the riverbed.

The tallest female star was 177 cm, the shortest at least 160 cm—none would drown if they just stood up.

The water wasn’t deep at all. Xu Wanzhi was scaring herself.

The “vortex” beneath her? Just an artificial current from an underwater motor.

The waves? Mechanically generated splashes. A little observation would’ve revealed the trick.

The only real challenge in the game was the props team’s hidden mud pits, designed to simulate sinking once the underwater current activated.

As the other guests neared the opposite bank, they heard Xu Wanzhi’s near-hysterical screams: “Help! Someone helps me!”

The group who’d strolled steadily across the river: “?” Where… was there any danger to begin with?

“…”

 

“Zhizhi, the water isn’t even as deep as you are tall! Aaaaaah!”

 

“Everyone’s expression be like: Are you kidding me?”

 

“Yesterday, I took my four-year-old daughter to an indoor water park and tried the exact same activity—she wasn’t scared.”

 

“.”

“We’re about to win.” Wen Yue had already taken off her helmet, her face brimming with satisfaction. “So, the key to crossing the river was this all along.”

“Your teammate…” He Yanzhen stared at Xu Wanzhi, who remained frozen in the middle of the river. “Is this kid possessed or something?”

Lin Su: “…” Having known He Yanzhen for over twenty years, she could tell he was indirectly calling Xu Wanzhi an idiot.

Lin Su exchanged a glance with Jiang Lingyu, both finding the same speechless resignation in each other’s eyes. Winning this game was out of the question now.

“Step down! Just step down! The water isn’t even that deep!” Lin Su called out to Xu Wanzhi, but the latter didn’t hear her at all, continuing to scream for help instead.

“I’m drowning, someone save me!” Xu Wanzhi felt as if she were endlessly sinking, the sensation of impending death gripping her completely. Her feet, struggling yet unable to escape the muck, terrified her to the core.

“Props team, props team—” Xu Wanzhi choked on water, coughing violently as she flailed helplessly on the surface. “I swear I’ll make you pay for this, I swear—”

The barrage of comments fell uncharacteristically silent, because the viewers could clearly see the situation beneath the water.

“I don’t even want to say it—can someone who isn’t Xu Wanzhi’s fan say it instead?”

 

“Is it okay to unstan just for a second? Zhizhi, baby, this really isn’t that hard…”

 

“Anyone want to hear the truth? Feels like this could be submitted to a cringe compilation.”

“HAHAHAHAHA sometimes the internet really makes me laugh so hard I want to throw up, can someone please regulate this?”

 

“I thought having Jiang Lingyu as a teammate guaranteed a win—never expected they’d still lose in the end.”

Hard to judge, but also hard to decide whether to scold—this was one of those moments.

“Fine, I’ll go.”

As an Alpha, Lin Su was just about to turn back and retrieve the poor fool Xu Wanzhi when someone descended from the Flyer.

Jiang Lingyu’s gaze locked onto that figure.

And it wasn’t just her—the moment that person appeared on camera, they naturally became the focal point, as if radiating an innate magnetism.

Xu Mifei leapt straight from the Flyer, diving into the water with practiced ease.

A rescue rope was already in her hand.

After landing, she swiftly steadied herself on the riverbed, adjusted her glasses in one fluid motion, and submerged, efficiently fastening the rope around the flailing Xu Wanzhi.

With a single push, she vaulted effortlessly back onto the bridge and hauled the drenched Xu Wanzhi up in one pull.

A team had already reached the opposite bank, signaling the end of the challenge—the bridge would no longer tilt.

Looking down at Xu Wanzhi, who was sprawled on the bridge gasping for air, Xu Mifei crouched and clicked her tongue twice.

“How can an Alpha be this useless?” Xu Mifei scoffed, casually grabbing a towel handed down from the Flyer and tossing it onto Xu Wanzhi’s head.

“I won’t let this go—” Xu Wanzhi coughed intermittently, her words broken. Xu Mifei chuckled. “You’re welcome.”

She crouched lower, raising an eyebrow. “Know what they say about reaping what you sow?”

Xu Wanzhi’s microphone had been submerged in the water for too long, so the audience couldn’t hear clearly—they only caught Xu Mifei telling Xu Wanzhi, “Don’t mention it.”

Did I see it right? When Xu Mifei pulled Zhizhi up just now, she used only one hand?]

 

Who understands? Xu Mifei fulfills all my fantasies about a fully matured Alpha. Who was it that called her a weak Alpha before? Her girlfriends?

 

Actually, has anyone ever heard of the “Peacock” having a real girlfriend? She’s always just surrounded by female companions.

 

You could say she’s disgusted—her face was full of “I hate stupidity” when she rescued her—but she’s also thoughtful, even bringing a towel (though she flung it at her face).

This round… I have to side with Xu Mifei. She didn’t do anything wrong. The underwater footage made everything crystal clear.

 

A little theory, Did Yuyu actually know Xu Mifei’s Alpha rank was higher than Xu Wanzhi’s before choosing the Peacock?

 

How can you all switch sides over one clip?! Isn’t Xu Mifei just putting on an act?! She took forever to rescue our Zhizhi—are you all blind?!

 

I heard Xu Wanzhi’s fanbase skews pretty young. Maybe that explains it.

Xu Mifei had already walked to the opposite riverbank and removed her waterproof goggles, sending the live chat into another frenzy.

Because her most striking feature was those mesmerizing, flirtatious eyes.

Why is the camera work so weak now? No close-up? I can’t imagine anyone looking into Xu Mifei’s eyes right now without their heart skipping a beat.

 

You’ll fall for anyone, huh? This is just scripted drama—some people actually believe it.

Jiang Lingyu watched as the figure approached her step by step.

The mission was over.

Her heartbeat quickened, and all she could think of was the agreement she’d made with Xu Mifei before this began.

But at that moment, Xu Wanzhi, still wearing her heavy headpiece, charged toward Xu Mifei.

She wanted to knock Xu Mifei back into the water.

Jiang Lingyu’s expression changed, but Xu Mifei shook her head slightly.

She understood Xu Mifei’s silent words, Stupid. Don’t come over.

Who was stupid? The real fool was the one who still hadn’t moved out of the way.

Just as Xu Wanzhi was about to collide with her, Xu Mifei sidestepped, reached out, and hooked an arm around Xu Wanzhi’s neck—pulling her close with a smile before steering her firmly toward the shore.

“My sister couldn’t wait to thank me,” Xu Mifei said, her tone light but her grip unyielding. “I told her not to be so polite.”

Only the guests onshore could see it clearly—

Xu Mifei had Xu Wanzhi in a tight headlock, forcing her forward with such strength that Xu Wanzhi’s face turned red from suffocation.

The more Xu Wanzhi struggled, the tighter the hold became—yet Xu Mifei’s expression remained perfectly composed, betraying nothing on camera.

An Alpha who hides a knife behind her smile is terrifying!!

No one spoke up, because they all knew what an enraged Xu Wanzhi had intended to do.

No matter their feud, seeking revenge so blatantly on a show was disgraceful.

Xu Mifei dragged Xu Wanzhi to the opposite bank, ignoring her as she collapsed coughing on the ground, and dutifully returned to her assigned position.

Jiang Lingyu didn’t move. In the end, it was Lin Su who went to help Xu Wanzhi up—only to have her hand shoved away.

Lin Su didn’t press the matter but remained half-crouched beside Xu Wanzhi.

Jin Chiyu stepped in appropriately, “Everyone’s clothes are soaked. Go change quickly so you don’t catch a cold. Wanzhi, are you hurt anywhere? Have the on-site doctor check you.”

“Please wait a moment, everyone. Our livestream will now take a short break to allow our guests to change.”

As he spoke, the other staff members immediately understood and moved forward to help Xu Wanzhi, who was still on the ground.

The camera shifted away as well.

Xu Wanzhi yanked off her lapel mic and threw it at a staff member, her eyes red as she glared up. “Stop with the fake concern!”

She refused anyone’s help, getting up on her own and striding quickly toward the changing tent.

The others exchanged glances, unsure what to say. Only then did Xu Mifei slowly step forward, approaching Jiang Lingyu. She lowered her head and lightly brushed the back of Jiang Lingyu’s hand with her curled fingers before quickly pulling away.

Her voice was barely audible. “I’ll go to the staff tent first.”

Her words were like the soft flick of a kitten’s tail against the ear—ticklish, slightly numbing, as if a faint current had passed through.

Jiang Lingyu couldn’t help but tilt her head slightly.

The once defiant and fearless Xu Mifei, who had just been lecturing others, had vanished, replaced again by this shy, flustered version of herself.

The stark contrast stirred an uncontrollable curiosity in Jiang Lingyu.

—Why was she like this only toward her? Was she afraid of her?

After speaking, Xu Mifei also hurried away, flustered and afraid Jiang Lingyu might reject her in front of everyone.

As she left, wet footprints trailed behind her.

Jiang Lingyu stared in the direction Xu Mifei had gone, standing still for only a brief moment before following.

“No need for the trouble,” she said calmly as she caught up to Xu Mifei. “I’ll change with you.”

There were no cameras now, no live audience.

This way, she wouldn’t have to avoid the cameras later to find her.

The others also knew they were engaged, so this arrangement was perfectly reasonable.

But the person beside her suddenly froze, their gazes locking abruptly, Xu Mifei’s nervousness unmistakable.

“…Ah, this—are you in more of a hurry than me?” Xu Mifei noticed the lingering people nearby and kept her voice low, leaning closer to Jiang Lingyu’s ear and cupping her hands over her lips to ensure her words were heard clearly.

Her warm breath landed precisely on Jiang Lingyu’s earlobe. Jiang Lingyu knew she was composed—she wouldn’t let something so trivial make her heart race or her ears burn. That wasn’t like her.

She even calmly considered that she had only intended to ask what had just happened—whether there had been an issue with the costume props.

Xu Mifei’s mention of being in a hurry must have reflected her own thoughts—had she been eager to offer comfort?

The tension of being exposed made the answer obvious. Jiang Lingyu suppressed the flicker of disappointment in her chest. What had she been hoping for?

For a brief moment, she had truly wished Xu Mifei was different from the others.

Jiang Lingyu’s expression cooled. Her gaze settled on Xu Mifei’s lips as she spoke, her voice devoid of warmth.

“Are you in a hurry?”

“I’m in a hurry! I was going to—” Xu Mifei stopped herself mid-sentence when she felt Jiang Lingyu’s gaze upon her.

Jiang Lingyu’s heart sank. She lowered her eyes and no longer looked at her. “Go on. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

But Xu Mifei didn’t overthink it.

She noticed Jiang Lingyu’s momentary coldness and assumed she was still upset about the previous incident with Yu Wei.

“Well, it’s just…” Xu Mifei steeled herself and blurted out in a rapid-fire manner, “I just wanted to wash myself thoroughly and take care of oral hygiene—I even prepared three different flavors of mouthwash! Because I’m really nervous about comforting you, and I’m afraid I’ll do a bad job and make you uncomfortable, so I wanted to review the comforting techniques again and maybe even practice with props to make sure I don’t seem incompetent at comforting you, that’s all…”

For once, Jiang Lingyu was stunned speechless.