Fake Cannon Fodder A Becomes a Sensation in Romance Variety Shows - Chapter 4

“Later, you’ll also receive sweet nothings and emojis sent by the alpha guests.”

Ye Zhuoyan opened her LoveLink phone, her thumb hesitating between the names of three alphas.

She looked up to see Mi Tao and Jiang Yining engrossed in pressing buttons, as if they’d already made up their minds.

After some thought, Ye Zhuoyan typed a message, then exited the private chat and switched to another profile, sending a pouting yellow bean emoji.

Jiang Yining asked, “Can we reveal who we sent messages to?”

Mi Tao looked surprised. “I don’t think so? I’ve watched previous seasons, it’s not allowed.”

Jiang Yining stretched with a yawn as she stood up. “Fine, that’s one less fun thing. I’m off to shower~”

Ye Zhuoyan watched her exposed back, her eyes glinting with admiration.

Truth be told, she somewhat admired Jiang Yining’s “wildness”, her courage to break free from society’s constraints on omegas.

Alpha lounge.

Liang Yuan’s LoveLink phone chimed.

Cheng Xiaoming said, “Congratulations.”

Liang Yuan teased, “Might just be an emoji.”

Cheng Xiaoming had set her LoveLink phone to silent. She opened it and found an unread private message.

Clicking into the chat, an anonymous profile had sent:

『Can I give you all my nuts from now on?』

Cheng Xiaoming smirked, then received two more unread messages.

『Rolling-eyes bunny girl emoji.jpg』

『Sorry corgi emoji.jpg』

“……”

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

Running through the day’s events, she couldn’t recall offending any omega. How had she “earned” two emojis?

Noticing Cheng Xiaoming’s darkening expression, Liang Yuan whispered, “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you actually got emojis?”

Cheng Xiaoming turned off her screen. “No comment.”

The fact Liang Yuan could ask that meant she hadn’t received a single emoji. Unbelievable.

[Here she is! The Emoji Warrior, Wealthy Beauty Dream Chasing Virtuous Wife, Cheng Xiaoming!]
[My heart aches for the Emoji Warrior for a second~]
[Liang-jie is so sneaky!]

Liang Yuan sat nearby applying a face mask, blowing on her thermos. Cheng Xiaoming glanced inside red dates, goji berries, and cassia seeds.

“You’re really into wellness,” Cheng Xiaoming remarked.

“Want some? I brought plenty.”

“Thanks, but I prefer coffee and alcohol.”

Cheng Xiaoming’s personal phone rang. She instinctively glanced at the camera, declined the call, and said, “I’ll be right back, restroom.”

The restroom was empty.

She opened her phone her younger brother had called. She dialed back. “Wenbo?”

The background noise was chaotic. Cheng Wenbo’s tone was gleeful. “So, Second Sister, how’s the show going?”

“Two emojis on the first day. What do you think? Just wait till I get home.”

“Come on! I had no choice, the original alpha guest bailed last minute. Where was I supposed to find a replacement overnight? You were free, so I had to call in a favor. Besides, the omegas were handpicked by my producers. I thought you might even bring home a sister-in-law.”

Cheng Wenbo, Cheng Xiaoming’s omega younger brother, managed the entertainment division under their family’s Changxin Group.

“Love and Nest” is a show under Changxin Entertainment, so Cheng Xiaoming is essentially working for her own company. Cheng Wenbo didn’t even pay her appearance fee, making this arrangement a total loss for her.

Cheng Wenbo asked Cheng Xiaoming, “Sis, do you have any favorite guests in mind?”

Cheng Xiaoming paused for a second before replying, “Not exactly a favorite, but there’s someone I’m a bit curious about.”

“Go for it if you’re interested! Make the most of it and help boost our show’s ratings!”

“Bye.”

Cheng Xiaoming’s mind drifted back to the box near Wen Huiyun’s feet.

That box was made of a special material thermal-insulated and antibacterial specifically designed for alpha pheromone-related injections. It was extremely rare, something only one in ten thousand people might recognize.

But Cheng Xiaoming recognized it.

Because Cheng Wenbo was an omega, and his work sometimes required alpha pheromone disguisers and stabilizers. He often used these discreet injection cases.

Walking down the corridor lit by small overhead lights, Cheng Xiaoming passed Wen Huiyun’s single room.

She glanced at the closed door, her mind swirling with questions: Is Wen Huiyun disguising herself as an alpha? And if so, why?

Just beyond the wall, Wen Huiyun rested her chin on her hand, sighing in frustration.

On the desk lay her LoveLink phone, displaying two private messages.

『Boudoir photoshoot, free (heart)』

Wen Huiyun sighed again. She didn’t want to do a boudoir shoot, nor did she understand why Jiang Yining was in her closet.

『Pouting yellow bean emoji.jpg』

Was this emoji sent by Ye Zhuoyan?

Wen Huiyun mimicked the pout, her mood worsening.

After much deliberation, she had finally sent Ye Zhuoyan a private message earlier: I made a serious mistake today, and I’m sorry! I’ll work twice as hard to make things right. Everything will get better!

[You can’t blame Hand Maiden entirely for the peanut butter incident, she didn’t know Ye Zhuoyan was allergic.]

[Everyone agrees Jiang Yining has a thing for Wen Huiyun, right?]

[Taotao and Liang Yuan’s private messages are so sweet. They seem like a solid match.]

On the second day of the six guests’ stay at Love Nest Manor.

Bright sunlight spilled over the lush green lawn.

White gauze curtains swayed gently as alphas and omegas instinctively settled on opposite sides of the long wooden table.

Wen Huiyun, wearing an apron with a smiling cloud design, brought out two plates of freshly baked flaky pastries.

“Options include dried plum and pork, egg yolk and rose, pure sugar, and plain.”

[Hand Maiden!!! You’re actually!!! This domestic?!]

[This is practically decoding her identity, right? Her cooking skills are way too flashy, it perfectly matches the teaser.]

[Look, look! Cheng Xiaoming’s expression toward Wen Huiyun just changed!]

[Ugh, I can’t watch. Someone send an omega guest to showcase their cooking and mend Cheng Xiaoming’s shattered heart.]

Both Cheng Xiaoming and Mi Tao’s eyes sparkled as they each grabbed a meat pastry.

Mi Tao, cheeks stuffed, said, “So fragrant! Huiyun-jie, you’re amazing. The crust is so flaky yet slightly chewy.”

Jiang Yining took an egg yolk and rose one, beaming. “Xiao Wen, you’re so thoughtful. I love rose filling.”

Liang Yuan added, “I made a pot of purple rice porridge, it’ll go perfectly with these. But I thought the kitchen didn’t have many ingredients?”

Wen Huiyun returned with a side of dressed greens and fried eggs, replying, “Yeah, I woke up at 5:30 and biked around the neighborhood. Found a market nearby and picked up some groceries.”

As she spoke, she stole glances at Ye Zhuoyan from the corner of her eye.

Ye Zhuoyan sat quietly, eating a plain pastry with a fried egg and lettuce, chewing slowly.

Noticing she hadn’t taken any of the purple rice porridge from the communal bowl, Wen Huiyun went to the kitchen and warmed a glass of fresh milk and soy milk, bringing both to her.

Ye Zhuoyan looked slightly surprised as everyone’s eyes turned toward them. She accepted the milk and gave Wen Huiyun a faint smile. “Thank you.”

Jiang Yining took the soy milk Ye Zhuoyan hadn’t wanted and teased, “Xiao Wen, you’re so biased! I’ll take this one then!”

Wen Huiyun quickly replied, “There’s more milk and soy milk in the kitchen, everyone can help themselves.”

Cheng Xiaoming, sitting beside Wen Huiyun, asked, “Are you going to take care of all our meals from now on?”

Wen Huiyun really wished she could say no. She only wanted to cook for Ye Zhuoyan, Cheng Xiaoming’s meals? Absolutely not.

With a gentle smile, the sunlight casting a soft glow on her chestnut hair, Wen Huiyun said, “No problem, but one of you will have to help me each day, or I won’t be able to manage.”

“Deal!” Cheng Xiaoming suggested, “Let’s make a duty roster. I’ll go first today.”

Wen Huiyun kept smiling, though her molars clenched slightly, her hands gripping the tablecloth tightly beneath the table.

Suddenly, Ye Zhuoyan spoke up. “I’ll help today.”

Wen Huiyun turned to her. Ye Zhuoyan’s delicate features and fair skin, smooth as peeled egg whites, stood out.

Moved by her beauty and thoughtfulness, Wen Huiyun felt a sweet warmth spread through her chest.

Without looking at her, Ye Zhuoyan said to Cheng Xiaoming, “I’d like to familiarize myself with the kitchen.”

After breakfast, Wen Huiyun and Ye Zhuoyan stayed behind to clean up while the others chatted in the living room.

Ye Zhuoyan washed the dishes with a sponge while Wen Huiyun wiped the table nearby.

After glancing at her several times, Wen Huiyun finally spoke. “Zhuoyan, you can rest. I’ll handle the cleaning.”

Ye Zhuoyan stood with her back to her, posture straight and elegant like a graceful lotus, just her presence alone was a sight to behold.

Her voice was quiet, meant only for Wen Huiyun’s ears. “Wen Huiyun, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but if you have something to say, say it outright. This show is important to me, I won’t yield to you.”

Wen Huiyun’s heart tightened. She hurried to explain, “Zhuoyan, I’m serious. I know I was terribly wrong before, but I’ve come to my senses. I want to make amends. I understand you can’t trust me yet, but I’ll prove my sincerity.”

Ye Zhuoyan murmured, “Your sincerity means nothing to me. Wen Huiyun, if you really want to prove something, why hasn’t the financial support you promised my family arrived? Why hasn’t the PR team stepped in?”

To secure that financial aid from the original host, Ye Zhuoyan had spent over half a month kneeling in servitude, even accompanying her to dart gambling matches.

But after losing all her money, the original host had used Ye Zhuoyan as a bet, forcing her to strip in front of a crowd…

Ye Zhuoyan gripped a porcelain plate, letting icy water rush over her slender hands.

Her face pale, she said bitterly, “I really wish you hadn’t torn up the agreement and set me free.”

Wen Huiyun clenched her jaw, turmoil churning in her chest.

There was so much she wanted to tell Ye Zhuoyan but now wasn’t the time.

Wen Huiyun wasn’t refusing to help the Ye family. Having read the novel, she knew the Wen family was already like a termite-riddled building on the verge of collapse. Forget about providing funds to help reverse the Ye family’s fortunes, the Wen family could barely keep themselves afloat. Huiyun couldn’t get any money from her parents at all.

The original owner, unaware of the Wen family’s crisis, had been tricked into taking on massive loans and ended up a stray dog with nowhere to go.

To secure a livelihood before the Wen family’s decline became obvious and to pursue Ye Zhuoyan, Wen Huiyun had carefully considered her options before deciding to sign up for Love and Nest 4 alongside Ye Zhuoyan.

With a helpless expression, Huiyun earnestly said to Zhuoyan, “Zhuoyan, I apologize for the funding and PR not coming through. It’s not that I didn’t want to help, I just had difficulties I couldn’t explain. I’ll find another way. No matter what happened before, I’m starting fresh now. I’ll prove my love for you through my actions.”

Ye Zhuoyan remained silent, her face cold.

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