We Went Viral After Appearing on a Dating Reality Show with Movie Queen O - Chapter 24

“What is it?” Bai Shulan responded lightly, her gaze sweeping over them with icy detachment.

Chen Ren’s eyes lingered on Gao Pian for a few seconds, her expression unreadable.

“I really should thank you,” Gu Xingyu said through gritted teeth, her voice low but clear enough for Gao Pian to hear.

Qi Meng simply smiled without speaking, her eyes darting back and forth between the group.

Under the weight of their intense stares, Gao Pian finally realized she had inadvertently made things worse. The emotional entanglement between them was far more complex than she had imagined. As expected…

“Gao Pian, this is Ye Yin, my friend. She has a beautiful singing voice!” Gu Xingyu suddenly remembered Ye Yin, who had been standing silently to the side, seemingly overlooked and unfamiliar to the others.

Ye Yin, with her gentle and reserved nature, appeared shy and withdrawn in this unfamiliar setting, finding it difficult to relax.

Gu Xingyu took the initiative to introduce her, hoping to bridge the gap between them.

“Hello, I’m Gao Pian,” Gao Pian said, bowing slightly with a smile, still wearing her gloves.

“Everyone looks so beautiful!” Qian Mian exclaimed cheerfully, her vibrant red dress accentuating her radiant and warm personality.

Gu Xingyu almost couldn’t tear her gaze away. Qian Mian was truly beautiful and remarkably cheerful, standing out even more in the quiet atmosphere.

Gu Xingyu felt a slight sense of relief. With someone to liven things up, everyone would have more fun and be happier.

She subtly shifted to her left, noticing Shulan hiding behind her, still watching Qian Mian intently. Gu Xingyu involuntarily clenched her fists.

A glance further to the side revealed Chen Ren, sitting beside Qian Mian, also staring at Shulan, observing her every move.

Gu Xingyu relaxed her hands. This didn’t seem like something she needed to worry about… After all, Chen Ren was here too…

“Qian Mian, when did you finish cooking?” Qi Meng asked, her round eyes wide with curiosity.

Gu Xingyu immediately turned to Qian Mian, smiling. “Really? You didn’t finish it early, did you?”

“I finished it this afternoon,” Qian Mian replied, her smile radiant. “Everyone was out, so it was just Gao Pian and me.”

“Aren’t we supposed to start cooking?” Chen Ren suddenly interjected, changing the subject and ending the small talk.

“Yeah, how do we get started?” Bai Shulan chimed in, glancing up at Xingyu as if waiting for her to take charge.

“I know a little about cooking,” Gao Pian quickly offered.

“Me too,” Qian Mian chimed in, following Gao Pian into the kitchen.

“Right, dinner’s a big project, and there are so many of us… I’ll help out,” Gu Xingyu said, glancing around the room. She clapped her hands and headed for the kitchen.

“Me! Me! Me! I’ll help too!” Qi Meng immediately rushed to her side.

“I can help too. I know a little,” Ye Yin hesitated before joining the group.

In an instant, the open kitchen was crowded with people.

Everyone gravitated toward Gu Xingyu. Qi Meng clung to her right side, while Ye Yin stood quietly to her left, a faint smile on her face. Gao Pian, acting like a close friend, stood nearby. The Omega concentration was remarkably high.

Gao Pian led the way, his mood visibly lifted by the radiant Qian Mian beside him, his face beaming with smiles.

Bai Shulan watched Gu Xingyu surrounded by the Omegas, then casually remarked, “I’ll go upstairs and change first.”

Gu Xingyu turned to watch her, her gaze following Bai Shulan until she disappeared up the stairs. A flicker of something unreadable crossed her eyes. Her lips parted slightly, her hands slowing their movements, as if she were about to say something. But the people around her interrupted, stopping her before she could speak.

Chen Ren wanted to help in the kitchen, but there was nothing for her to do. Qi Meng, sandwiched between the two Alphas Qian Mian and Gu Xingyu, chatted and laughed with everyone, leaving no room for Chen Ren to join in. After a moment of silence, Chen Ren quietly returned to her room.

When Gu Xingyu finally looked up again, both Chen Ren and Bai Shulan were gone from the living room. The smile on her face faded slightly.

Bai Shulan and Chen Ren are such a perfect match!

Gu Xingyu really loves to swarm around Omegas, seizing every opportunity!

What the hell? Wasn’t she just flirting with Bai Shulan? Why is she ignoring her now?

Ugh… playing hard to get? Whatever… Gu Xingyu, get lost! Take your petty tricks and go far, far away!

Qian Mian is so beautiful! And she can cook too—she’s too perfect!

Ahhh, Ye Yin can cook too?! What else are we missing?!

Ye Yin, ahhh, move a little to the left! Get closer to Qian Mian! What’s so great about Gu Xingyu?!

Is Qi Meng already looking for a backup plan?! She’s laughing and chatting with Qian Mian!

“Xingyu, you’re playing so well,” Qian Mian said, her eyes fixed on Gu Xingyu with a smile.

“Thank you,” Gu Xingyu replied. “You’re doing great too.”

“Seriously, I was stunned the first time I saw you play,” Qian Mian gushed. “It’s rare to see an Alpha play so well, though Omegas this skilled are even rarer.”

“Haha, come on, if you keep praising me like this, I’ll float away!” Gu Xingyu joked.

“But it’s true! You’re nothing like what they say online—so approachable and funny in person.”

“…Haha, stop it! No more compliments, please.”

“Exactly! The internet paints Xingyu as such a villain!” Qi Meng chimed in, her voice tinged with anger.

“Yeah, Xingyu’s actually really nice,” Ye Yin added.

“Hey, are we having a compliment contest now?” Gao Pian teased. “Should we switch to praising someone else?”

“Fine, fine, fine! You’re handsome, stylish, dashing, charming, debonair…” Gu Xingyu rattled off a string of flattering adjectives.

The group chatted animatedly, Qian Mian fitting in seamlessly.

Why is Qian Mian suddenly showering Gu Xingyu with praise?! Is she trying to suck up to a rich girl?!

I feel like I’m being insulted… Gu Xingyu is a total  scumbag Alpha, okay?! The public’s eyes are sharp as ever!

Exactly! Did these people get paid to whitewash Gu Xingyu’s image?

Unbelievable. Everyone knows exactly what Gu Xingyu’s been up to these past few days. We all know what kind of  scumbag she is!

…I actually think Gu Xingyu’s not so bad, just saying…

Dinner was nearly ready, with most of the dishes prepared by Ye Yin and Qi Meng, while the others helped with the prep work.

“Shulan, you’re here!” Gu Xingyu called out as soon as a figure appeared at the top of the stairs.

Bai Shulan had changed out of her casual sportswear into a sleek black dress that accentuated her fair, luminous skin, giving her an air of dignified elegance. Her makeup was subtle, but the bold red lipstick alone radiated an aura of commanding presence—cool, aloof, and so regal that it discouraged casual approaches.

“Mm,” Bai Shulan replied softly, glancing briefly around the room.

“Shulan, you look so beautiful!” Qian Mian’s eyes lit up as she saw her, and she immediately complimented her.

Bai Shulan paused, her gaze sweeping sideways to land on Qian Mian. “Thank you,” she replied coolly.

“Shulan, the food’s almost ready,” Gu Xingyu said quickly, hurrying to carry dishes to the dining table.

“You can cook too?” Bai Shulan asked, a hint of genuine curiosity flickering in her eyes.

“Just a little,” Gu Xingyu explained. “Qi Meng and Ye Yin did most of the work. We just helped with the prep.”

“Oh,” Bai Shulan nodded, settling onto the sofa with an air of indifference, neither offering to help nor asking any questions. No one seemed to mind.

“Where’s Chen Ren?” Gao Pian asked, noticing someone was missing.

“…I’ll go get her,” Gu Xingyu volunteered, seeing no one else move. She hurried upstairs to call her neighbor down for dinner.

The remaining group fell into a brief silence, their conversations dying down. Bai Shulan, however, looked like she was about to speak.

“Shulan, do you usually watch what you eat?” Qian Mian asked, washing her hands as she approached.

“Not really,” Bai Shulan replied coolly, without even looking up.

“Any dietary restrictions?” Qian Mian asked with a smile, sitting down beside her.

“…None.”

When Gu Xingyu came downstairs, she was greeted by this beautiful scene: the radiant Qian Mian sitting beside the aloof and elegant Shulan, the two chatting intimately and laughing together. Of course, the laughter was mostly Qian Mian’s.

The smile on Gu Xingyu’s face faltered, dimming slightly.

Qian Mian is interested in Bai Shulan? Aaaah, these two beauties together are such a feast for the eyes!

The Goddess and Qian Mian make such a great pair! Perfect!

Gu Xingyu, always eating from one bowl while eyeing the pot… With so many Omegas around, why bother with our Goddess?!

Exactly! Words fail me. I’ve never seen such a scummy Alpha—she’s scraping the bottom of the barrel!

Qian Mian and Shulan are getting along so well. What’s Gu Xingyu doing here?! Why doesn’t she go find Qi Meng instead?

Chen Ren, walking behind her, naturally noticed all this and a faint smile curled at the corners of her lips.

Gu Xingyu’s behavior suggested she still harbored some affection for Bai Shulan. Perhaps she was finally tasting the bitterness of seeing her beloved with someone else…

“Let’s go…” Chen Ren urged from behind, then brushed past her and headed into the kitchen.

Ye Yin and Qi Meng were still finishing up.

As she entered the kitchen, the others were chatting idly behind her. Gao Pian seemed a bit downcast, gazing pitifully at Qian Mian’s retreating figure.

Just moments ago, he had been flirting passionately with her, but now she was already flirting with someone else. Gao Pian’s spring romance had barely blossomed before withering away.

Gu Xingyu composed herself, clenching her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug deep into her palms. If Shulan were with an Alpha as outstanding as Chen Ren, she would have no grounds for complaint. But what right did some unknown Alpha have to be with Shulan?

She sat down opposite the pair.

“Xingyu, do you have any food preferences?” Qian Mian asked again, her radiant smile directed at her.

“…Not really… I’m not a picky eater,” Gu Xingyu replied after a moment’s thought, her mind momentarily blank despite the turmoil within.

“Xingyu, dinner’s ready!” Ye Yin called out from the kitchen, her voice gentle. “Everyone, dinner’s ready!”

Gao Pian emerged from the kitchen with the dishes, his mood noticeably subdued. The contrast between Qian Mian’s earlier warmth and his current coolness was stark.

Gu Xingyu seized this opportunity to escape the awkward tension between the three of them. The atmosphere felt off, somehow.

Qian Mian’s presence was overwhelmingly strong, circling around Bai Shulan like a moth to a flame. Yet the conversation kept subtly shifting back to her, each remark perfectly calibrated, leaving no room for criticism.

“Xingyu, why don’t you take a group photo first?” Qi Meng and Chen Ren emerged together, her gaze fixed on Gu Xingyu as she asked cheerfully.

While Ye Yin’s arrival had initially complicated matters, Qian Mian’s presence had dramatically altered the dynamics. More importantly, Qian Mian seemed to harbor a genuine affection for Shulan.

“Sure!” Gu Xingyu quickly retrieved her Polaroid camera and snapped several group photos, capturing the joyful moments and the delicious meal they had prepared together.

Chen Ren and Bai Shulan cooperated fully, allowing Gu Xingyu to take charge and fulfill her requests.

Seizing the opportunity, Gu Xingyu sat beside Shulan and leaned in close, their faces nearly touching. As she pressed the shutter, a faint blush crept across her cheeks.

“Xingyu, let’s take one together too!” Qian Mian suddenly squeezed between them, her smile radiant.