Fake Cannon Fodder A Becomes a Sensation in Romance Variety Shows - Chapter 74

Billed as the largest and most comprehensive trampoline park in City A.

Cheng Xiaoming and Jiang Yining found several origami hearts on the acrobatic trampolines, spider towers, and suspension bridge tracks.

Now, guided by the heart-shaped clues, they arrived at the rotating foam pit.

Large, tri-colored foam blocks tumbled inside the pit.

Jiang Yining was bent over, digging around inside. “The coach said there’s a ball in here.”

Cheng Xiaoming stood on solid ground. “What kind of ball?”

“A Poké Ball.”

“Bulbasaur?”

“Not Bulbasaur. It’s like those little pills in the Wuniao Bai Feng Wan packaging, you can open it, and there’s a clue inside.”

An advertisement flashed through Cheng Xiaoming’s mind: Wuniao Bai Feng Wan restoring a woman’s happiness.

She looked up and saw Jiang Yining, clad in tight leggings, bent over with her rear sticking out toward her.

In·de·cent.

Cheng Xiaoming: “Get up and take a break. I’ll look.”

Jiang Yining straightened, suspicious. Since when was Cheng Xiaoming this considerate?

Cheng Xiaoming offered her hand and pulled her up.

By the time Cheng Xiaoming found the ball containing the heart, Jiang Yining had been lured away by some guys for drinks.

“…”

When Cheng Xiaoming tracked her down, she was already in the VIP section, playing flaming B52 shots with a few rich boys.

A ring of fire flickered atop the salt-rimmed shot glass.

Jiang Yining picked up the glass, but Cheng Xiaoming grabbed her wrist. “Are you even doing the mission anymore? Drinking here?”

Jiang Yining’s cheeks were flushed pink. “Oh, you told me to take a break! Besides, the boss is treating us.”

With that, she grabbed Cheng Xiaoming. “You found it? So amazing! Come celebrate with us, let’s drink.”

The rich boys egged them on: “Friend, come drink!”

Cheng Xiaoming’s chest burned with inexplicable anger. She arched a brow and replied coldly, “Who’s your friend?”

“We’re leaving. Now.”

Cheng Xiaoming gripped Jiang Yining’s wrist, fingers digging in hard enough to leave red marks.

Jiang Yining stumbled along, completely at the mercy of her force. “Ow, Cheng Xiaoming, that hurts.”

Sunlight streamed through the revolving door, piercing the glass and pooling at their feet, spilling over the ferns in the potted plants.

Cheng Xiaoming’s figure blocked the light ahead. Jiang Yining curled her lips into a faint smile.

“Why are we leaving?”

Jiang Yining asked, “Aren’t we looking for clues anymore?”

Cheng Xiaoming dragged her out of the trampoline park. “We’re done.”

“Then, where are we going? Oh! You, you’re not!”

“?”

“Taking me to a hotel, are you?”

What kind of nonsense was that?

The heart inside the ball was the final clue:

Please proceed to the above-ground parking lot of the mall across the street and look for a volunteer wearing the show’s cap. They will guide you to begin your journey of love~ (heart)

Cheng Xiaoming asked, “How many B52s did you drink?”

That stuff wasn’t exactly low-proof.

Jiang Yining gestured with her fingers. “Just a tiny bit.”

The volunteer handed Cheng Xiaoming a car key and told her to find the vehicle with the Love and Nest 4 sticker.

The volunteer grinned. “Jiang-jie, day-drinking this hard?”

Cheng Xiaoming quickly pulled Jiang Yining away.

She wanted to know, why did Jiang Yining so casually run off with strange men?

Drinking. Did Jiang Yining not realize what those guys were after?

What was she thinking?

After circling the parking lot, they found it.

A medium-sized RV.

Opening the door and stepping up, they were greeted by a table.

Further ahead was the driver’s seat. Above it was a pull-down panel that revealed an upper bunk bed.

At the rear were cabinets and a bed, with a closed bathroom at the very end.

The RV was already stocked with basic living essentials.

It seemed this was arranged by the production team standard provisions for each guest pair.

Cheng Xiaoming helped Jiang Yining lie down on the bed and then moved their luggage to the storage compartment alone.

As it was getting late, Cheng Xiaoming decided to drive the RV out.

Just then, the director called:

“Xiaoming, Yining, you’re in the RV now, right?”

Cheng Xiaoming glanced at Jiang Yining, who was hugging a blanket and counting sheep. “We’re here.”

Director: “There’s an envelope in the drawer in front of the driver’s seat. Make sure to open it.”

“For the next week, the two of you will be partners on this camping trip.”

After hanging up, Cheng Xiaoming pulled open the drawer, and a purple envelope fell out.

She caught it hastily and opened it:

Love Journey! Unforgettable Camping , Lightning Romance Route Map! (Heartbeat)

“…”

Cheng Xiaoming unfolded the map and stuck it on the memo board beside the driver’s seat with repositionable adhesive.

From the back of the RV came a muddled murmur.

Cheng Xiaoming listened carefully, it sounded like someone calling.

“President Cheng. Hmm… Where are you, President Cheng?”

“?” Cheng Xiaoming looked around. Was Jiang Yining calling her?

She was the only “Cheng” here.

Drunk people were troublesome.

Frowning, Cheng Xiaoming walked over.

Jiang Yining was curled up with a blanket, her fair skin flushed pink.

Her eyes were hazy with intoxication as she murmured, “Cheng Xiaoming, you really came back.”

“Are you real?”

Cheng Xiaoming tugged the blanket over her. “Yes, alive.”

Jiang Yining’s gaze was unfocused. “You’ll disappear again when I wake up, won’t you?”

Cheng Xiaoming sighed. The drunkard was starting to babble.

She reassured her, “No, I won’t. Just sleep.”

Jiang Yining smiled, her eyes curving as she pointed at her.

Between her parted lips, the scent of alcohol lingered. “President Cheng.”

“You’re getting married.”

?

Cheng Xiaoming: I don’t even have a girlfriend, who am I marrying?

Jiang Yining hummed and propped herself up, pressing her burning cheek against Cheng Xiaoming’s ear. “Tell me.”

“Is your fiancée prettier, or am I?”

?

Cheng Xiaoming: Who is this fiancée of mine?

“Hahaha!”

Jiang Yining suddenly burst into laughter, looping her arms around Cheng Xiaoming’s shoulders.

“President Cheng, let me kiss you. Once you’re married, I won’t get the chance.”

Her heated lips moved toward Cheng Xiaoming’s.

Closer.

The aroma of B-52 and the sweetness of rosé liquor intertwined, intoxicating and seductive.

Cheng Xiaoming could hear her own pounding heartbeat, the sound magnified endlessly.

Her chest and neck burned as if her blood had been laced with alcohol.

A single spark would set her aflame.

Cheng Xiaoming told herself: Push her away. Tuck her in.

But her body refused to move.

Jiang Yining’s lips brushed the corner of her mouth, smudging her lipstick.

Then, with a sudden slump, she collapsed back onto the bed.

Asleep.

“…” Cheng Xiaoming pulled the blanket over her properly and grabbed a bottle of ice water from the mini-fridge.

She stepped out of the RV and leaned against it, drinking.

Her brows were tightly knit.

What nonsense was this?

Did Jiang Yining know another “President Cheng”?

Which “Cheng” was it?

Tch. Is that person richer than me?

At the amusement park exit.

A souvenir shop clerk waved goodbye with a smile.

Wen Huiyang reached out to take the unicorn plushie the clerk had given her, then unzipped its back.

Hidden in the stuffing was the last origami heart.

She carefully unfolded it.

Ye Zhuoyan stood close, resting a hand on her forearm, whispering, “You have to tell me that secret now.”

Ye Zhuoyan’s fingers were ice-cold.

Wen Huiyun held her hand and tucked it into her own coat pocket. “Don’t worry, Yanyan. Once we get to the resting place, I’ll explain everything properly.”

Ye Zhuoyan nodded obediently. “Mm.”

Her eyes were still slightly red.

She would listen to Wen Huiyun.

She was a petty yet reasonable omega.

Ye Zhuoyan leaned against Wen Huiyun’s chest to read.

The heart-shaped note unfolded:

“Please proceed to the west parking lot of the amusement park to find a volunteer wearing the show’s crew cap.

They will guide you to begin your Love Journey~ (Heart)”

“A camper van?”

Wen Huiyun took the car keys and immediately spotted the mid-sized camper van parked in the corner, adorned with a sticker that read “Love & Nest 4.”

The producer called: “There’s an envelope in the driver’s seat drawer, make sure to read it!”

Wen Huiyun opened the car door and found the envelope, which contained yet another map.

Love Journey~ Unforgettable Camping~ Pure Love Route Map! (Rose)

Ye Zhuoyan pointed to the message board next to the driver’s seat. “We can stick it here.”

Wen Huiyun found some removable adhesive. “Okay.”

“The producer said we’ll be traveling in the camper van for the next week. Each guest group has a different route, and we’ll all meet at a campsite in a scenic area at the end.”

Ye Zhuoyan nodded, locked the camper van door, closed the curtains, and then pulled out the car keys.

The interior instantly darkened.

Wen Huiyun sat in the darkness, her eyes taking a moment to adjust.

A soft sound came from the seat beside her as Ye Zhuoyan sat down next to her.

“So, what is this ‘system’? Can you tell me now?”

Wen Huiyun exhaled deeply. “You, when did you find out?”

Ye Zhuoyan placed her hands on her lap, clutching her skirt, and lowered her gaze. “During the New Year, at home.”

After a pause, she added, “I was looking for my earrings in your room and saw you talking to thin air.”

Wen Huiyun understood.

It was the day Xiao La had come to unlock a new task for her.

Wen Huiyun never imagined Ye Zhuoyan would enter the original host’s room, let alone hide in the bathroom, with the door closed and the lights off.

Wen Huiyun asked, “Did you find your family heirloom jade earrings?”

Ye Zhuoyan shook her head.

“I’ll help you look for them when we get back.”

“Wen Huiyun, don’t change the subject. I’m the one asking questions now.”

Ye Zhuoyan fell silent for a moment, gripping her skirt tighter. “I know you’re not her!”

“Huiyun, I had already suppressed all the bad feelings. I trusted you.”

“At first, I didn’t plan to force you to explain. I wanted to wait until you were ready to tell me yourself. After all, everyone has their privacy.”

“But how can you say you love me while sharing your most intimate thoughts with another omega? What am I supposed to do?”

Her rising emotions made Ye Zhuoyan’s voice grow more agitated. The redness in her eyes hadn’t faded, and now tears shimmered in them.

Wen Huiyun was overwhelmed with mixed feelings, drowning in guilt.

Beyond her heartache for Ye Zhuoyan, Wen Huiyun was filled with self-reproach: How could she have been so careless as to let Ye Zhuoyan discover the system?

Ye Zhuoyan turned her head, her silver earring brushing against her cheek, two strands of hair sticking to the corner of her lips.

“You said you would definitely tell me. You said the Ferris wheel doesn’t lie. You said!”

“I will!”

Wen Huiyun closed her eyes, leaned forward, and shouted the words from the depths of her chest.

She steadied herself, took a deep breath, and felt her cheeks burning, her mind foggy.

“The system is—”

Poof! Poof!

A tiny sprite suddenly appeared in front of Ye Zhuoyan and sprayed mist at her.

Ye Zhuoyan slumped back into the seat under Wen Huiyun’s stunned gaze and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

“Warning! Wen Huiyun 2.0! Prohibited action!!!”

Wen Huiyun grabbed Xiao La with one hand. “What did you do to Zhuoyan?!”

Xiao La struggled fiercely. “Let me go! Wen Huiyun 2.0, are you rebelling?!”

Wen Huiyun shook her angrily. “I’ll ask one more time, what did you do to Zhuoyan? What did you spray on her? Why did she faint?!”

“Ow!” Xiao La bit down on Wen Huiyun’s finger, but Wen Huiyun still held her tightly, refusing to let go.

“Tell me now!”

Xiao La gasped for breath, struggling to speak. “Cough, cough! Ye Zhuoyan is fine. It was just anesthetic spray. She’ll wake up after a while. Now let me go first.”

Wen Huiyun checked Ye Zhuoyan’s breathing and listened to her heartbeat, confirming she was unharmed before releasing Xiao La.

“Xiao La, you can’t hurt her. She’s innocent. If you want to punish someone, punish me.”

Xiao La was frantic. “This isn’t about punishing you! The truth about the system can’t be revealed to characters in the book, or the Book Management Processor will automatically eliminate the bug. If Ye Zhuoyan learns the truth, she’ll be in danger. I was trying to save her!”

Wen Huiyun was at a loss. “Really?”

“You’re my host, we’re bound together! Why would I harm you? You working for the Transmigration Bureau isn’t something I can control. I can only help you within my authority!”

“I’m sorry, Xiao La. I was wrong just now.”

Xiao La took out a capsule from her bag and handed it to Wen Huiyun. “Alright, enough talk. Feed this to Ye Zhuoyan, and she’ll forget all memories related to the system. The cost of this item will be deducted from your salary!”

Wen Huiyun pulled Ye Zhuoyan into her arms.

Ye Zhuoyan rested quietly against the crook of her neck, her long lashes casting delicate shadows on her fair cheeks.

Wen Huiyun held Ye Zhuoyan’s soft shoulders, her expression heavy and somber.

The capsule hovered near Ye Zhuoyan’s lips, but Wen Huiyun hesitated to give it to her.

“Xiao La, I don’t want to take Zhuoyan’s memories away.”

After a long internal struggle, Wen Huiyun clenched the capsule and lowered her hand. “The memories I inherited from the original host are fragmented. I’ve been piecing them together in my dreams, exchanging memory fragments to sort them out, the feeling of chaotic memories is unbearable. I don’t want Zhuoyan to suffer like that.”

Xiao La was on the verge of a breakdown. “If you tell her, it’s a death sentence! The plotline will collapse, the protagonist will disappear, and the entire book will reset!”

“I haven’t told her about the transmigration system yet.”

“You—ugh, fine. What do you want to do then?”

Wen Huiyun looked down at Ye Zhuoyan, her gaze tender. “I have my own way.”

“I won’t deceive Zhuoyan, and I won’t violate the system’s rules.”

“How can you possibly tell her the truth and still protect her from the Book Management Processor?!”

“I have a way.”

Wen Huiyun’s eyes were resolute. “I believe in her.”

“…”

“If you insist on going your own way, I can’t stop you. But if a violation is triggered, I’ll have no choice but to force her to take the memory-erasing capsule.”

“Wen Huiyun 2.0, based on the intel I have, it’s nearly impossible for you to complete the ‘Final Mission.’ As for NPC characters. I advise you not to get too attached. You’re on your own.”

The power in the RV was restored.

The small bedside lamp glowed softly, casting a warm light.

The bed was covered in pink bedding with cute cartoon prints. Ye Zhuoyan lay nestled inside, deep in slumber.

Wen Huiyun wasn’t sure when she would wake up, so she used the nearby induction cooker to prepare a small pot of honey milk.

A faint, sweet aroma filled the air.

Once the milk was ready, Wen Huiyun turned off the heat and poured it into an electric thermal cup to keep it warm.

A soft voice came from behind: “Huiyun.”

Wen Huiyun quickly turned around. “Yanyan, you’re awake.”

Ye Zhuoyan pushed aside the blanket and rubbed her forehead. “How did I fall asleep? We were just talking.”

“You were exhausted.”

Ye Zhuoyan hugged her tightly. “Don’t even think about running away.”

“You mentioned, the system?”