After The Web Novel Great God Transmigrated As A Scummy Online Dating Top - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

After returning to the room, Lin Muxue took a short break. Looking at the scorching sun outside, she knew going out for a stroll was out of the question.

Fortunately, she had planned the itinerary around the weather, leaving the hottest afternoon hours free for rest or work. Zhou Jiajia, despite her earlier bravado about mountain climbing, was effectively a fitness fraud the type who feels invincible after a good meal but retreats after three minutes of actual exertion.

In the hotel suite, Zhou Jiajia set up her recording equipment to work on her voice-over commissions and short video edits. To avoid mutual interference, Lin Muxue took her laptop to the living room by the balcony to write.

Her old book, The Mysterious Case Files, was two days away from finishing its scheduled releases. Her new book, a similar genre piece, already had over 4,000 pre-release bookmarks. With over 100,000 words already in her draft box, it would start generating income almost immediately after her first book ended.

Usually, this was her peak productive time, but her mind kept drifting to her phone, wondering why her “cute online friend” hadn’t replied all morning.

When the notification finally chimed, she didn’t realize the tension in her shoulders had instantly vanished. However, the first message from “Sweetie” made her brows knit in difficulty.

Sweet: Why did you suddenly praise me out of the blue, saying I’m as brilliant as today’s sun? Are you implying I’m as unlikable and annoying as this scorching heat?

Lin Muxue looked at the sun outside and felt a wave of self-reproach. My metaphors are indeed poorly chosen.

Chao Mu Cheng Xue: I apologize. That was an inappropriate analogy. I’ll be more careful next time.

She had followed advice from an online relationship thread: “When a girl is upset, no matter who is right, just praise her. Having been the one praised all her life, Lin Muxue was remarkably inexperienced at the art of the compliment. In school, she was the High Mountain Flower who cut off suitors with a polite sorry before they could finish their sentences. Her novels were logic-driven and plot-heavy; any romance was purely functional.

But Sweetie didn’t let her off that easily.

Sweet what next time? Does that mean today’s praise doesn’t count? Hmph, I’m losing out big time! Hands on hips, huffing emoji

Lin Muxue took the bait: Then what should I do? Should I try to think of other praises right now?

They went back and forth for twenty minutes, with Lin Muxue racking her brain to come up with compliments only for Chu Meng to reject them like a harsh editor demanding a rewrite. Passing her graduation thesis hadn’t been this grueling.

When Chu Meng finally mentioned she would be busy for the next few days and might not reply quickly, Lin Muxue felt a strange pang of loss. She forced herself to focus on her writing, but the usual rhythm felt slightly off.

…

The Friendship War

Two days later, at an e-sports stadium in A-City.

As an unpublicized friendship match, the venue was small and the crowd intimate. Lin Muxue was a fish out of water, but Zhou Jiajia was in her element. Gone was the “helpless traveler”; she was now a fan-girl commander, greeting group chat members and collecting (support) gear.

Wow, is this sister a fan of A-Du too? a fan asked, looking at the elegant, slightly out-of-place Lin Muxue.

Knowing Lin Muxue had zero interest in the Brother A-Du her classmates worshipped, Jiajia quickly explained, “No, no, she’s a general DM Team fan. Just give her a cat-ear headband!”

As for the pink heart-shaped headband representing A-Du’s personal fans? Jiajia put that on herself.

Before Lin Muxue could protest, she was handed a glowing DM light stick and a pair of fluffy, white, LED cat ears was clipped onto her head.

Do I really have to wear this? Lin Muxue asked, feeling ridiculous.

Zhou Jiajia, busy adjusting the spring-loaded pink hearts on her own head that boing-ed back and forth with every movement, glared at her. Do you want people to mistake you for a PP Team supporter?

Lin Muxue looked at Jiajia’s heart-shaped antennas wobbling like a dorky Teletubby. She touched her own soft, white cat ears.

Fine, she thought, swallowing her dignity. Cat ears are better than looking like a pink satellite dish.