A Top-Tier Green Tea Actress Enters a Dating Reality Show - Chapter 52

“Why are the memories in my mind different from everyone else’s?” she questioned.

—Buzz—

A buzzing sound rang in Meng Ziqing’s ears. She lifted her eyelids, her vision blurry, the world spinning. Her body swayed, and she quickly grabbed the nearby sink for support.

The veins on the back of the hand pressed against the sink were stark. She lowered her head, forcefully suppressing a groan in her throat.

Pain. Her whole body felt a jarring ache.

She raised her head, her lowered eyebrows carrying a hint of ferocity. She questioned in a low voice, “Tell me why my memories are showing discrepancies?!”

After voicing the question in her heart, Meng Ziqing could feel the momentary silence in the air, as if the string of time had snapped, and time had paused for an instant. The sudden dizziness and bodily pain she just experienced were the after-effects of that stillness.

Inside the room, Qin Yue, who was packing her travel items for the next day, paused her movements. She slowly lifted her eyes, her gaze instinctively sweeping towards the bathroom.

Then, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she calmly withdrew her gaze and continued with her packing.

It was only in the brief, unnoticed moment as she lowered her head that the strands of her neat, shoulder-length bob fell with the movement, and a strange, deep blue flashed across Qin Yue’s vibrant blue eyes.

This change was unbeknownst even to her.

“…” The light of the CP system’s small orb flickered erratically, dark and obscure. Its little dot eyes stopped blinking. It made no sound, like a short-circuited light bulb with a loose connection.

It looked even more like it was hiding because it didn’t want to answer.

“In ‘Meng Ziqing’s’ childhood memories, there was clearly no one named Tao Tao, yet Tao Tao can remember the ‘me’ from childhood, and her attitude is enthusiastic. This doesn’t match the original plot at all, and I find it very strange.”

“Squeak—”

Meng Ziqing turned the faucet. Clear water with a hint of white bubbles rushed onto her long, fair hands. The cold water was bone-chilling, and her well-toned, pale palms visibly turned a flush of crimson. The movements of her fingertips subtly grew stiff.

The coldness gradually spread upwards from her fingertips, covering her entire body.

Similar to masochism, this biting coldness made Meng Ziqing feel that her current self was still real.

At least she wasn’t fake.

Her heart was still genuinely beating.

“Mr. System, I need an explanation for why my memories are showing discrepancies.” Meng Ziqing slowly turned her head, her gaze shifting to the inexplicably quiet CP system beside her, silently clenching her fist.

Then, she scoffed in sarcasm, yet her whole body relaxed.

It seemed that the anger had been released in that one question, or perhaps seeing that the system wouldn’t budge with the tough approach of not saying a single word, she switched to a gentler tactic.

Meng Ziqing didn’t seem angry at the CP system’s silence. She blinked, her attitude not forceful, even a little wronged.

Every sentence aimed right at the CP system’s weakness, “Mr. System, you know I came to this world alone, and I already feel a sense of unreality. Now, with memory discrepancies, there’s an unsettling feeling in my heart that makes me timid and afraid to act, which greatly affects my subsequent movements.”

“I am so afraid right now… afraid that I won’t be able to complete the system’s mission.”

As she spoke, Meng Ziqing sighed, her face, like a white dough ball, puffed out. Outwardly, she appeared helpless and scared, “If I can’t complete the mission, I’ll be fine. After all, the capital chain of my family’s company is already barely fluid. If I operate it according to plan for a few more years, the crisis will pass. Even without the mission reward of ten billion, I can still be a carefree rich woman in this world. But Mr. System is different.”

The flickering frequency of the CP system’s small orb accelerated, as if its emotional fluctuations had intensified.

“Mr. System, you’ve been in this world for a long time, haven’t you?” Meng Ziqing spoke slowly, her delicate, ethereal face showing a gentle, slight smile, which looked extremely sinister in the system’s eyes.

—”Mr. System often chats with its good friends. I happened to overhear a bit. It seems like if Mr. System can’t complete the mission, it can’t go back to its original world, right?”

“Oh dear, what should I do? If I fail the mission, I can only be a carefree rich woman, merely unable to fall in love. But Mr. System can only be homeless and will have to look for another host after I die.”

“That would take decades.”

The light on the CP system’s body flashed faster and faster.

“Mr. System also has friends and family. Not being able to go back for several years, you must miss them, right?” Meng Ziqing smiled gently, her soft knives stabbing the system one by one.

Her gaze was meaningful, and she drew out her words, “If you can’t go back for decades—”

The CP system hiding in the system space couldn’t take it anymore. The small orb suddenly shone brightly, like a golden sun, “You’re the one who can’t go home for decades! You’re the one who can’t see friends for decades!”

It was dizzy with anger, and the size of the small orb fluctuated violently, “I’ve been here for so long and can’t go back, and it’s all your fault! If it weren’t for…”

As it spoke, the CP system suddenly realized something. Its fierce momentum instantly vanished, as if it had swallowed a mute pill. Its entire body bristled, but the light on it dimmed considerably.

“If it weren’t for what?” Meng Ziqing pressed.

“Or what would happen?”

CP System: “Nothing!”

Meng Ziqing ignored it, her questions coming one after another.

“What is the reason you wasted several years in this world?”

“What does this have to do with Qin Yue? Why did she have dreams of my three deaths?”

“If it’s already the third cycle, what did I do in the previous three rounds?”

The elegant and calm female voice was slow and steady, as if she wasn’t asking about herself. Her tone was neither light nor heavy, like a solemn judgment, forcing the CP system onto a cliff.

“How did I die in these three instances?”

Meng Ziqing kicked the floor beneath her feet, as if she was crushing the middle of a world-line. The surroundings were dotted with starlight, and the depths of her pure black eyes were vast and desolate.

The world-lines extended and unfolded, forming a chessboard. Meng Ziqing stood on one chessboard, using herself as the general, looking indifferently at the three unfinished games around her.

Watching them evolve from the very beginning, watching the broken pieces and defeated generals, and watching how she, as the general, was captured and eaten by the opponent.

Different moves, the same defeat.

The CP system was obviously slacking off, and Meng Ziqing naturally knew the oddity about it, but this alone wasn’t enough for her to fully expose it.

She was someone who played around in life and was naturally suspicious. She was more sensitive to her surroundings than the average person. Qin Yue’s nightmares at the airport earlier were something she had laughed off on the surface but had actually kept in her heart all along.

This time, the memory discrepancy completely aggravated her sense of unease, escalating it to a qualitative change. She had to ask clearly and resolve it.

Meng Ziqing was afraid. Afraid that there was something wrong with this body, and after a few years or months, she would have to die.

Meng Ziqing hadn’t personally experienced how she died the previous three times, but she was a mortal person who feared death, a hundred times more than the average person.

“Is the world we are currently in a parallel world?” Meng Ziqing lifted her eyelids. Her obsidian eyes were devoid of emotion, as if she were looking at someone else’s life, and she herself was merely an observer watching the mountains, the water, and the sky. “Or are these four games happening on the same world-line, with time moving forward and backward?”

“What will happen to me if I fail the mission? Immediate death?”

“Or are you inherently unregulated, surviving on people’s vital energy? Once I complete the mission, you’ll drain me dry and then leave.” Meng Ziqing speculated earnestly.

In truth, the possibility of both was non-existent. If the system was going to eat her for failing the mission, there would be no need to waste so much energy resurrecting her and making her a useless entity lacking various functions. It would be completely counterproductive.

But Meng Ziqing was mischievous; she was intentionally trying to anger the CP system.

“Is that right?”

Meng Ziqing quietly watched the small orb in front of her. When she didn’t smile, the sharpness between her brows was revealed. Her pale, bloodless skin silently exuded a sharp sense of pressure.

The CP system was silenced by Meng Ziqing’s questions for a long time. It pounded on the table in the system space for a while, constantly reciting the system guidelines in its mind.

Finally, under Meng Ziqing’s gaze, it could only wave a white flag, clutching its heart that ached from anger, and said helplessly, “Firstly, I am a legitimate system with a proper designation. I am a public service system, and there is no operating principle of murder and stealing. Whether you complete the mission or not, I will leave after twenty years in this world. I just want to leave a little earlier!”

“Secondly, regarding how Miss Meng died the previous three times, I am unable to answer due to system guidelines. You need to rely on your own fate to recall it.”

“Finally! Regarding Qin Yue’s recollection dreams.” The CP system’s voice became serious. It flew up to Meng Ziqing’s face, its dot eyes meeting hers. “After the world-line has unfolded and been reset multiple times, important characters from the original work have a certain probability of having recollection dreams or even awakening their true selves. Qin Yue and Miss Meng had profound involvement in the previous three cycles, so it’s very normal for her to have recollection dreams.”

Listening to the system’s answer, Meng Ziqing felt a little reassured.

“Profound involvement?” Meng Ziqing suddenly thought of something and smiled abruptly, “She and I had profound involvement, so why did you stop me from approaching Qin Yue at the beginning of the dating show?”

The CP system fell silent.

“It’s because we didn’t have a good outcome in those three cycles.” Meng Ziqing stated the answer, “Is that right…”

She sounded very carefree, but the fingers tapping at a specific rhythm clearly indicated her poor mood.

Meng Ziqing took a deep breath, feeling inexplicably choked up inside.

How could it be that for three consecutive lifetimes… they had no result?

“Meng Ziqing, regarding the issue of the three cycles, I just want to say that you and Qin Yue should just live well now.”

The system, surprisingly, called Meng Ziqing by her full name, its mechanical voice oppressively low. “You two have a sweet relationship, and I will go home early.”

“Some things are better left forgotten.”

Meng Ziqing frowned and retorted, “Why is it unnecessary?”

“You haven’t missed anything in this cycle!”

After saying that, as if it had had enough of the unpleasant atmosphere, it turned around and flew away, abandoning Meng Ziqing.

Only Meng Ziqing was left by the sink, looking at the tears that inexplicably slipped out of her eyes.

Missed?

What did she and Qin Yue miss?

“Qingqing, you’ve been in there for a long time.”

A knock came from outside the door. Qin Yue had finished packing and checked the time. Meng Ziqing had been in the bathroom for an hour.

There must be a problem.

Qin Yue furrowed her delicate brows and turned the doorknob, announcing, “I’m coming in.”

Pushing the door open, Qin Yue’s beautiful eyes widened slightly, a hint of flustered helplessness appearing on her cold face.

Inside the bathroom, Meng Ziqing slowly turned her head to meet her gaze. Her face was pale and appeared fragile, her crimson lips lightly pressed. She showed no expression, yet tears streamed down, staining her eye corners red. She seemed utterly distraught, even her hair carrying a sense of being lost.

Qin Yue immediately rushed forward, asking with concern, “Baby, what’s wrong?”

“Wuu—” Meng Ziqing hugged Qin Yue’s slender waist, burying her face in Qin Yue’s neck, sobbing with immense grievance, “I don’t know either, but the tears just won’t stop flowing.”

“Jiejie, I’m so scared,” she muffled, “I don’t know what I’m afraid of, but I’m just so scared.”

The girl’s soft voice, like a cat’s mewling, called out in Qin Yue’s heart. Her eyes softened, and she soothingly stroked the girl’s back, “Be good, baby. Jiejie is here. Don’t be afraid.”

“No one will hurt you, including me.”

“Jiejie…” Meng Ziqing rubbed against Qin Yue’s jade-like neck, then raised her head, taking Qin Yue’s hand and placing it on her cheek. She bit her fingertip with her bunny teeth, her eyes watery, while her other hand possessively embraced Qin Yue’s waist more tightly. “Jiejie, I’m so scared right now. Jiejie, can you comfort me, please?”

At a time like this, Meng Ziqing needed confirmation from Qin Yue—confirmation of safety, confirmation of existence.

Qin Yue felt the moisture and softness on her fingertip. Her ear tips flushed, and her voice was a little low as she asked, “How does the baby want Jiejie to comfort you?”

“How does Jiejie want to comfort me?” Meng Ziqing raised her eyes to meet Qin Yue’s. This embracing position was warm, and she sighed contentedly, “Jiejie, just hug me like this, okay?”

Qin Yue smoothed Meng Ziqing’s hair, “Just a hug?”

Meng Ziqing paused, “Hmm—”

“Jiejie can also give me a kiss.”