I Struggle to Survive in a Girl Group [Transmigration] - Chapter 24.2

The villa was quiet late at night.

An Qing felt her way downstairs in the dark, slipped into the kitchen, and rummaged through the fridge for a few cartons of yogurt.

She had spent a long time carefully studying the writing style of fanfiction and watching many fan-made videos, planning to unleash her creativity and write passionately when she had the time.

The direct result was that her brain was overworked, she was too hungry to sleep, and she had no choice but to sneak out for a midnight snack at 3 a.m.

Leaning against the fridge door, she deftly opened a carton, chugged it down in one go, and contentedly licked the traces left around her lips. Happily, she gathered the remaining yogurt cartons and headed back to her room to enjoy them slowly.

As she reached the staircase, An Qing suddenly heard a series of rustling sounds not far away, followed by a few dull thuds, as if something had fallen onto the carpet.

She paused to listen and realized the noise was coming from the study behind the staircase.

Aside from the living room, the first floor of the villa had two smaller rooms, neither very large. One was used as a guest room, and the other had been converted into a study. The study was somewhat secluded, and people rarely passed by. It was the perfect spot for anyone wanting a quiet environment to create or do other things without being disturbed.

An Qing hadn’t intended to go over, but she couldn’t quite rest easy. She walked to the door and gently knocked a few times.

Soon, a reply came from inside: “Come in.”

That voice, Wen Ling?

Is she staying up late writing songs?

An Qing gently pushed the door open, and her eyes fell upon a scattering of books strewn across the floor. Wen Ling, crouched by the desk, looked up from the mess and smiled at her. She pointed at the bookshelf that had broken into two pieces and explained, “It doesn’t seem very sturdy.”

“I’ll help you.”

An Qing tossed the yogurt aside and crouched down as well, starting to pick up the books from the floor.

When she read the titles, her hand trembled involuntarily.

100 Little Things for a Real Couple to Complete???

An Qing picked up another one.

108 Tricks for Shipping a Couple???

No way, seriously?

An Qing flipped open one of the books and found that quite a few annotations had already been made inside. The handwriting was delicate and elegant, clearly that of a refined young lady, completely different from her own playful, amateurish calligraphy.

Instantly, she felt deeply ashamed.

Someone with a higher starting point than you is also working harder than you!

An Qing stood there holding the books, feeling at a loss.

She really admired people like Wen Ling capable and organized. But the thought of her own uncertain future, the possibility of fading away at any moment, made her uncontrollably sad.

However, Wen Ling’s next words turned her sadness into shock.

“These are for you.”

Wen Ling rose unhurriedly, tidied up the books, and stacked them neatly on the desk again.

“I’ve marked the entries that are more suitable for you and Ting Bai.”

Meow meow meow?

What kind of incredible teammate is this?! She even highlighted the important parts for her!!

An Qing was so overwhelmed with gratitude that it took her a long time to stammer out, “Thank you, Teacher Wen!”

Teacher Wen, you are my savior!

Wen Ling smiled indifferently. “Read these first. If I come across anything else useful later, I’ll let you know.”

What’s going on? Wen Ling is way too invested in her and Yu Ting Bai’s CP!

An Qing stared at her blankly, only realizing later what she wanted to ask.

“Why?”

“Why?”

Yi Zhuo rolled over, wrapping her arms around the person beside her from behind, gently clasping her slender fingers.

Wen Ling had been raised in comfort since childhood, her skin as smooth as cream, making Yi Zhuo reluctant to let go.

“I don’t like shipping CPs.”

“Not even for the hype?”

“Doing what you love is more important.”

Wen Ling pressed down on that restless hand, trying to stop her. “It’s too late now.”

It was already noon. At 2 p.m., they had to be at the company to hear about their next work assignments.

It had been over a month since their debut. During this time, various tasks had come one after another, leaving almost no free time for anyone. They had finally managed to get half a day off this morning.

“It’s fine, we won’t wear makeup today.”

Yi Zhuo chuckled softly in her ear, her breath hot. Before long, the other person quickly gave in.

Ending up in this kind of relationship with Wen Ling was completely unexpected.

On the night of the finals, both she and Wen Ling had drunk a bit too much. The ride back would take over an hour, so the production team thoughtfully booked a few rooms in a nearby hotel, allowing everyone to rest for the night and return to the dorm the next day to pack.

Yi Zhuo helped Wen Ling into the room, only to find there was only one large bed inside.

What happened next seemed almost inevitable. She couldn’t remember who made the first move, whether it was the alcohol or something long planned. In any case, the two of them were soon locked in an inseparable kiss.

Under the dim, ambiguous lighting, Wen Ling was like a crystal-clear white rose, blooming wildly and fervently in her eyes. In a fleeting moment, as she gazed at the two intimate shadows cast on the curtains, she felt an unreal sensation.

When she woke the next day, Wen Ling was already gone. Everything had returned to normal, as if the previous night had been nothing but a dream.

Yi Zhuo wanted to gauge Wen Ling’s thoughts, so she found a moment to speak with her alone.

Wen Ling was meticulously trimming the frayed edges of a faded long-sleeved shirt. Noticing Yi Zhuo’s surprised expression, she smiled and explained, “The cuffs are badly worn, so it’s not suitable to wear outside. I’m planning to turn it into loungewear.”

Yi Zhuo was already accustomed to Wen Ling’s frugality.

She cut straight to the point: “I want to talk about what happened that night.”

Since it had already happened, Yi Zhuo couldn’t just pretend it didn’t exist. Her intention was simply to clear the air, so that neither of them would feel awkward and they could continue interacting naturally.

After all, they were in the same group it wouldn’t do to have lingering awkwardness.

But as soon as she broached the topic, she saw Wen Ling’s usually calm expression instantly cloud with worry.

Her tone was cautious but firm: “We can go back to bed, but dating is out of the question.”

What kind of attitude was that? Was she being looked down upon?

Who said anything about dating?

Yi Zhuo felt a surge of irritation, her lips twitching. “I’m not ”

Wen Ling cut her off: “If you feel shortchanged, I can pay you.”

In all the time they’d known each other, this was the first time the well-mannered Wen Ling had ever interrupted her.

Yi Zhuo’s blood boiled, and she blurted out, “If I go back to bed with you again, I’m a dog!”

Wen Ling breathed a sigh of relief. “If you say so.”

Then, realizing she might have misspoken, she tried to backtrack: “What I mean is, it’s up to you.”

Her expression practically screamed, “As long as you don’t cling to me, anything goes.”

Yi Zhuo was furious but had no grounds to explode. She could only console herself.

Forget it, this is fine. It’s a consensual thing between adults no need to overthink it.

She had talent and ambition; she didn’t want to waste time on romance.

But it wasn’t long before she found herself uncontrollably reminiscing about that beautiful night.

That sweet, bone-deep pleasure had opened a whole new world for her.

After struggling with herself, Yi Zhuo chose to swallow her pride and follow her heart. Late one night, she knocked on Wen Ling’s door.

“Woof?”

From then on, things spiraled out of control.

Wen Ling’s breathing grew increasingly ragged, her skin flushing with a delicate pink that made her all the more enchanting and irresistible.

Soon, the clock struck one. Yi Zhuo kissed the cheek of the person in her arms, cleaned up the scattered tissues on the floor, and tossed them into the trash.

Wen Ling casually slipped on a nearby spaghetti strap nightgown and walked over to stand in front of the mirror.

She turned sideways, carefully examining her reflection. Her neck and arms were smooth and unmarked.

Just then, a tall figure approached from behind, wrapping their arms familiarly around her slender waist.

“Don’t worry, I know my limits.”

Yi Zhuo rested her chin on Wen Ling’s shoulder, her long hair brushing against it as their eyes met in the mirror.

Wen Ling said, “We still need to be careful. If this gets out, it’ll be a mess.”

Her eyes were strikingly beautiful, like a tranquil lake that reflected and embraced everything without a single ripple.

It was precisely because of this that her moments of losing control became all the more captivating.

“Understood,” Yi Zhuo said with a light laugh, casually pressing a soft kiss to her long hair.

She stared at the face in the mirror, as pure and fresh as a lotus emerging from water, and suddenly asked, “You don’t want to fake a romantic pairing for publicity is it because of me?”

In the next moment, the clear eyes in the mirror curved slightly, revealing an expressionless smile.

“Where did you get such confidence?”

“The next project, as I’ve mentioned several times before, is probably something you’ve all guessed by now.”

Ye Ming clasped her hands on the table, her makeup and attire still impeccably neat.

Shen Siqi couldn’t hold back her excitement: “Is it the group reality show? Is it?”

Ye Ming nodded. “We depart the day after tomorrow.”

Shen Siqi’s eyes lit up, her joy overflowing. In her mind, a group reality show was all about eating, drinking, and having fun no different from a vacation, except perhaps a bit more exhausting.

So sudden?

An Qing was taken aback, just as she heard Yu Tingbai beside her voice the question she wanted to ask: “Where are we going?”

Ye Ming replied, “Our destination is Country C, and we’ll be there for about a week.”

“Fantastic!”

As soon as Ye Ming finished speaking, Shen Siqi excitedly shook An Qing’s arm, her tone brimming with enthusiasm. “I’ve been there before it’s super fun!”

While humoring her, An Qing discreetly searched for information about Country C on her phone. She had been too busy with work lately to study world geography.

Country C was a subtropical island nation where the language was mutually intelligible with their own. It was known for its beautiful scenery, pleasant climate, and highly developed tourism industry. Sunshine, beaches, delicious food it had it all.

As An Qing read the content on the webpage, her heart couldn’t help but leap with excitement.

Just then, Yu Tingbai, who was sitting beside her, spoke up.

“What’s the specific filming location?”

Her tone was calm, yet it carried a subtle hint of uncertainty and probing, as if she had already anticipated some kind of danger.

An Qing’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Was there something wrong with Country C?

Ye Ming said, “Dreamland Town have you heard of it?”

Shen Siqi looked utterly confused: “What’s that? An Qing, do you know?”

An Qing shook her head. How would she know? But judging by the name, it sounded like a lovely place.

Yu Tingbai’s expression was resigned. “I knew it.”

Yi Zhuo furrowed her brow in thought for a moment before suddenly realizing something: “Dreamland Town, it couldn’t be.”

Seeing their reactions, Ye Ming knew they had guessed the answer.

She smiled and said, “The name ‘Dreamland Town’ is rarely mentioned, but there’s a flagship variety show that’s filmed there regularly, you must have heard of it.”

Shen Siqi could no longer contain her curiosity: “What is it? What is it?”

Instead of answering directly, Ye Ming posed a question to Shen Siqi.

“Siqi, Sweetie 101 had many game segments. Do you know which moment made you most famous?”

Shen Siqi thought for a moment. “Was it when I competed with someone in hitting high notes?”

That time, she had performed exceptionally well and felt quite proud of herself.

Ye Ming looked at her meaningfully. “It was when you got scared and cried during the horror prank segment.”

Shen Siqi: ???

“That clip of you garnered over ten million views and was edited into all sorts of bizarre versions, spreading widely across major short video platforms.”

Shen Siqi clutched her chest. “Please, stop.”

Give the idol girl some face.

Ye Ming said, “Domestic group reality shows are all just travel programs, monotonous and repetitive. The audience has long grown tired of them, so this time we need to think outside the box, seize the trends, and attract more traffic.”

Although An Qing didn’t know exactly what kind of show Ye Ming was referring to, she could tell from the context that things weren’t looking good.

She cautiously asked, “So what is our group reality show about?”

Ye Ming smiled and replied, “Survival in the Ghost Town.”