A Top-Tier Green Tea Actress Enters a Dating Reality Show - Chapter 32

“Jiejie—”

Meng Ziqing drew out her voice. Seeing Qin Yue lower her eyes and remain silent, she seized the opportunity to tightly hug Qin Yue’s arm, leaning in and rubbing against her. Her voice was soft and carried a slight, trembling sob, “I’m really scared.”

Seeing her like this, Qin Yue pressed her lips together and didn’t speak. Her cold and clear eyes were unwavering, yet her heart was aching.

The child had never been so disheveled; she was always sweetly smiling, impeccably dressed, and meticulous about details. But now, covered in blood and grime, her dark, long, curly hair was a mess. Huddled against Qin Yue’s shoulder, she looked pitifully frail, her nose and eyes red, much like a scruffy, startled kitten.

Qin Yue felt distressed, but she also knew Meng Ziqing was trying to coax her. Meng Ziqing was habitually good at feigning vulnerability, and she was very skilled at using her appearance to get what she wanted, just like now—she wanted Qin Yue’s forgiveness.

Qin Yue sighed, her tone light, as if resigning herself to fate, “Let’s go. To the hospital. Don’t keep the police officers waiting here.”

Meng Ziqing’s eyes brightened, and she sweetly nodded, “Mm!”

She immediately hugged Qin Yue, her heart finally settling down with a sense of security. She sighed contentedly, “I love Jiejie the most.”

Qin Yue lowered her gaze: “…”

Little liar, full of falsehoods.

They followed the police and boarded the 120 ambulance. This vehicle was originally prepared for the victim, Meng Ziqing, but unexpectedly, the criminal, Gu Yang, was the one using it in the end.

Qin Yue slowly closed her eyes, not wanting to speak or look at anyone, just wanting to be quiet for a while.

The vehicle was crowded, swaying and jolting on the gravel road, making for an uncomfortable ride. They sat on the side seats with the medical staff and police, while Gu Yang lay peacefully in the center of the vehicle.

He wasn’t dead, just passed out from the pain. Meng Ziqing had used an iron rod to smash the bones in his hands; he probably wouldn’t be able to do needlework inside prison.

Initially, Meng Ziqing had heartlessly borrowed Qin Yue’s phone to take a few souvenir photos of Gu Yang. Later, while hugging Qin Yue’s arm and playing Candy Crush, her eyelids grew heavy from the car’s bumping, and she couldn’t keep them open.

Sleepy…

The fight had been physically exhausting, and she had also inhaled something earlier, leaving her with no strength.

If not for Gu Yang underestimating her, approaching her so closely without any guard, and convinced that she was too scared to resist, she wouldn’t have been able to give him an over-the-shoulder throw and grab the iron rod in time under such circumstances.

She was just a girl; even after exercising for a period and learning a few self-defenses moves, she couldn’t overcome the fundamental difference between men and women.

Just like the CP System said, she was playing with fire, but this time she hadn’t gotten burned; she had played the fire back.

So sleepy. Meng Ziqing tried hard to open her eyes but couldn’t help them closing again.

While deep in thought with her eyes closed, Qin Yue suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes and turned to look, only seeing Meng Ziqing’s fluffy head.

Qin Yue: “…”

Outside the window, the moon was thin, and the deep night was dark blue. Streaks of tree shadows passed by. Occasionally, light projected through the car window. The dim, yellowish light inside the ambulance vaguely shone on Meng Ziqing, making her look somewhat disheveled and pitiful. Yet, she was sleeping soundly. Her small face, concealed beneath her hair, hadn’t been wiped clean and was still smeared with grey, but it revealed a healthy pink blush. The phone she was holding was not locked, and its faint light provided a contrast to the surrounding chaos. Her celestial, hazy beauty around her eyes hadn’t dissipated but felt strangely more real.

She seems only to be obedient when she’s asleep, Qin Yue thought.

Qin Yue watched her like this for a long time. Her sea-blue eyes deepened. Her fingers moved, and she poked Meng Ziqing’s cheek.

Hmm, soft, and just as nice to touch as before.

After a while longer, her tensed nerves finally felt a trace of sleepiness, and she, too, closed her eyes.

Just before closing them, however, she shifted, adjusting Meng Ziqing into a more comfortable position.

The engine of the vehicle was noisy. In the corner of the crowded ambulance, the two of them leaned against each other, their fingers intertwined and clasped, enveloped by an atmosphere akin to tenderness.

The CP System was openly slacking off near the window with its data panel open. Although it had no hands, the keyboard beneath the data panel showed someone typing: You’ve been grinding in that world for several years now. When can you complete the mission and come back to play?

The CP System tilted its head, looked at the two sleeping individuals nearby, and turned back to reply with certainty: If nothing unexpected happens, I’ll be able to go back soon!

After sending the message, the other side was silent for a moment, then replied: …You said that last time, too.

Seeing the message from the other party, the CP System’s small light sphere appeared momentarily dejected and dim, as if it had recalled something. But then it immediately cheered up and replied to the other side with conviction: This time for sure!

The CP System guaranteed: This time I can definitely complete the mission and go back!

Host Meng, please work harder. You must complete the mission and go back this time. The CP System, which had experienced much “hardship,” prayed silently in its heart.

It wanted to go home and play with its little friends QAQ.

Nearly two more weeks passed. While Meng Ziqing was working non-stop, the widely publicized incident of the Gu Group CEO’s assault and kidnapping finally concluded.

Originally, Meng Ziqing should have been punished for excessive self-defense in this case for injuring Gu Yang’s hands. However, given the serious nature of the incident, her punishment was waived, and she only received a verbal ideological education.

The overall summary was: Well done, next time be careful not to hit so hard… ah, wait, no, it’s: I hope you won’t encounter such a thing again in the future.

Meng Ziqing was safe and sound, but the kidnapper, Gu Yang, was a completely different story.

The matter of Gu Yang publicly assaulting someone on the show had already caused Gu Group’s stock to evaporate by more than half overnight. And this time, his kidnapping incident was high on the hot search list for a whole week.

Black material about the Gu Group was flying everywhere. The incident was extremely heinous and alerted the higher-ups, leading to a strict investigation of the Gu Group.

The entertainment industry’s waters were terrifyingly deep. The only person who could still protect the Gu Group, Old Master Gu, suffered a stroke and collapsed the moment he received the video of Gu Yang’s kidnapping.

After all this, the Gu Group was completely dissolved.

Gu Yang’s father was a dissolute spendthrift but was quite fond of his son. He begged and pleaded in the upper-class circles for his son’s sake, and finally, someone offered him a suggestion—to get a psychiatric evaluation certificate and send Gu Yang to a mental hospital.

Gu Yang’s father was initially reluctant to send his own son to a mental hospital.

But after careful consideration, his son’s hands were already broken. Even if they healed in the future, he would have to be extremely careful and wouldn’t be able to work. What kind of place was a prison? It was full of criminals, and his son would be tormented to death if he went in there.

Thinking of this, Gu Yang’s father shivered, and he couldn’t help but burst into tears. He began to comfort himself: A mental hospital… it’s quite good…

At least someone would take care of him, and he wouldn’t be secretly bullied by other criminals.

And so, Gu Yang’s father submitted a psychiatric certificate for Gu Yang to the court and personally sent Gu Yang to the mental hospital.

Meng Ziqing still clearly remembered the distorted expression on Gu Yang’s face when his father personally handed in the psychiatric certificate during the court session.

It was quite amusing.

The male protagonist from the dog-blood novel, who had once lorded over everything and caused the female lead Su An’an to suffer a car accident and have an abortion, had just like that entered a mental hospital.

According to the court’s sentencing, Gu Yang would have to take medication and play house in the mental hospital for the rest of his life.

Even if his mind had some hope of being saved, he would go mad in there.

“That white lotus, Su An’an, should thank me for saving her life,” Meng Ziqing muttered, a strange emotion flashing across her heart.

The emotion disappeared very quickly.

Meng Ziqing didn’t quite figure out what it was.

But none of this had anything to do with her anymore. It was all in the past; what was there to be nostalgic about?

Currently, the thing that truly kept Meng Ziqing awake at night was Qin Yue.

“Ah—Mr. System, what should I do—”

At ten o’clock at night, Meng Ziqing hugged her Pudding Dog plush and let out a sudden howl, startling the sleeping CP System.

“Ah? What’s wrong, Host?” The CP System practically scrambled to roll to Meng Ziqing’s hand.

“What’s wrong, what’s wrong.”

“Annoying…” Meng Ziqing was weary of life. “It’s been a day and a night. Qin Yue hasn’t replied to my WeChat for a day and a night.”

The CP System widened its bean-shaped eyes: “A day and a night?!”

“What am I going to do?”

Meng Ziqing impatiently sat up cross-legged, sighed in frustration while looking at her phone, and her shoulders slumped. She tucked back her slightly heavy hair, looked up with an expressionless face, her eyes coldly sweeping over the various furniture and corners of the room, and she tsked in disdain.

It was a full moon night. The sun had been scorching during the day, and naturally, the moon outside was round and bright at night. The silvery light poured in from the window like plain lead, coating the whole room with a layer of silver-white glow. The apartment’s exquisite decoration was punctuated by details, and the comfortable space carried a sense of ethereal beauty that belonged to its owner, Meng Ziqing.

Meng Ziqing used to love this apartment; it was comfortable to live in, conveniently located, and the environment was pleasant. But now, she thought… this dilapidated apartment was too big.

It felt lifeless.

It was nowhere near as good as Qin Yue’s home in the city center, which, although also large, felt cozy.

Meng Ziqing sniffled, her nose feeling sore, and felt wronged.

The CP System also felt wronged. It looked at the stationary mission progress bar. “Host, didn’t you two meet just three and a half days ago, and your phone and WeChat contact haven’t been cut off?”

“Ugh…” Meng Ziqing frustratingly threw herself onto the bed, letting out a soft hnng, and her voice was aggrieved, “Ever since that idiot Gu Yang was dealt with, Qin Yue hasn’t really paid attention to me.”

“She’s angry with me. She rushed off on a business trip right after we finished the court session. She just took her suitcase and left.”

“She left so quickly. She got in the car right after leaving the court, thinking about me in her heart but not even looking back.”

“She’s avoiding me…” Meng Ziqing concluded, her tone full of woe.

CP System: “…”

Although the Host was pitiful, why did it have an inappropriate thought like, You deserve it?

“Host, as long as you are willing to change, Qin Yue will forgive you,” the CP System advised with difficulty.

“Everyone runs into a couple of pests in their lives; it’s enough that Qin Yue ran into just you…” It accidentally spoke its true thoughts, and realizing its mistake, its voice became quieter and quieter.

“Uh, Host, I…” It wanted to explain.

Meng Ziqing looked up at the CP System and surprisingly nodded in agreement, “Yes, I am a pest.”

“I only bring trouble to Qin Yue.”

CP System: “…”

Meng Ziqing felt a clarity after hearing the CP System’s words. She snuggled further into her blanket, calming down and preparing to sleep.

“Get your spirits up. Qin Yue will be back tomorrow. I’ll take her breakfast on my way and go find her.”

CP System: “…”

Humans are so complicated. They live in opposite directions but can still be “on the way.”

The next day, Meng Ziqing woke up very early, got up to wash, and dressed up, spending a long time agonizing over her outfit.

“Makeup perfect, hair perfect, clothes perfect.” Meng Ziqing carefully checked herself in the mirror.

In front of the mirror, the girl’s eyes looked ethereal. Her lips held a natural curve. Her long, curly, romantic hair was meticulously styled, half-pulled back. She was wearing a Chanel latest collection dress, which revealed a pair of fair, straight legs. Her feet were in 5cm kitten heels, embodying an elegant and intellectual style.

“I must make up with Qin Yue today,” Meng Ziqing set a goal for herself.

Just as she was standing by the door, holding her bag and preparing to put on her shoes to leave, the phone on the cabinet beside her rang.

She picked up the phone and saw it was an unknown number from her city. She hesitated for a moment but answered it anyway.

“Hello…”

“Hello, may I please speak to Ms. Meng Ziqing? We are from the Ninety Days of Love production team. The show was halted recently due to the incident involving the contestant Gu Yang. Since the controversy has passed, the show will continue filming soon.” The staff member on the other end said with a smile.

“Ms. Meng, when do you have time? We want to coordinate the entry time for all contestants as best as possible according to their needs.”

“I have time now.” Meng Ziqing replied, her hand trembling slightly with excitement.

She stated firmly, “I have time right now.”

Yes, she had time now.

Time to participate in the dating show with Qin Yue.