Join a Dating Reality Show with the Aloof, Fishing-Style Richest Man - Chapter 41.1

Xu Miaomiao was absolutely fuming, and along with that anger came a profound sense of grievance.

Was she actually just a shield used to get closer to Lu Zhao?!

But why did she have to give her so much hope then!

Xu Miaomiao burst straight into the room. Seeing Zhou Jiayan still acting as if she were diligently handling work, Xu Miaomiao felt like her already explosive rage was about to turn her into ash.

How could she remain so calm right now! Didn’t she feel even a flicker of panic about how to explain herself now that she’d been found out?

Xu Miaomiao was on the verge of tears.

She rushed to Zhou Jiayan’s side and looked down at her. Her eyes gradually reddened. She was furious and wanted to scream, but when she opened her mouth, her words were filled with nothing but sorrow.

“Sis, how could you do this?”

Xu Miaomiao’s voice carried a slight sob. Her red nose made her look like a pitiable little thing. Her eyes, which usually sparkled, had dimmed, filled with an endless sense of betrayal.

She simply couldn’t accept that the person she had liked since childhood actually liked her best friend.

Zhou Jiayan was startled by her sudden intrusion. Hearing that heart-wrenching voice, her heart momentarily throbbed with pain.

Is my little girl hurting again?

“What did I do?” Zhou Jiayan was puzzled at first, but she quickly realized something. A look of regret appeared in her eyes, blaming herself for not explaining things to Xu Miaomiao sooner and causing this misunderstanding.

She reached out to grab Xu Miaomiao, but this time Xu Miaomiao had a temper. She twisted her body to avoid the contact, though she continued to look at her with eyes that could make one’s heart ache.

Zhou Jiayan’s outstretched hand froze for a moment when she failed to touch her. She was rarely rejected by Xu Miaomiao, which made this rejection feel all the more glaring.

Zhou Jiayan tried her best to soften her voice. “Miaomiao, things aren’t like that. Sit down first, and I’ll explain it to you.”

Zhou Jiayan moved another chair over for Xu Miaomiao to sit.

Hearing this, Xu Miaomiao hesitated for a moment before sitting down with an expression that said, ‘You’d better explain this well.’ She refused to even look at Zhou Jiayan.

In the past, when did her eyes ever leave Zhou Jiayan? She wouldn’t have been able to bear not looking.

Zhou Jiayan stood up to check the surveillance cameras in the room, ensuring they were off, and then checked the audio equipment on both of them before speaking. “I’ll tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone else—especially Lu Zhao.”

Xu Miaomiao sniffled. “Tell me then. I definitely won’t say a word.”

With her red nose and the way she looked like she was about to cry, she appeared both pitiful and adorable, making Zhou Jiayan’s heart soften.

“That alt account online isn’t mine; it belongs to President Ji,” Zhou Jiayan said truthfully.

However, after she finished speaking, there was no reaction from Xu Miaomiao. Feeling confused, she looked closer and saw Xu Miaomiao staring at her with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Zhou Jiayan: “Miaomiao?”

Xu Miaomiao snapped out of it. Thinking about what she just heard, she frowned and said, “If it’s President Ji’s, why did you come forward to claim it?”

Zhou Jiayan sighed and helplessly explained the origin of the situation.

After listening, Xu Miaomiao was stunned again. She felt like her world had been turned upside down!

“You’re saying President Ji actually likes Lu Zhao a lot, but Lu Zhao doesn’t like her?!” Xu Miaomiao shouted in disbelief. How could that be! Did Lu Zhao look like she wasn’t interested?

Was Lu Zhao actually an undercover agent who had infiltrated their organization?!

Zhou Jiayan nodded calmly and dropped another bombshell.

“And she’s liked her for many years.”

Xu Miaomiao: “…”

Damn it. To think she was a Best Actress! She actually couldn’t tell those two were acting! Those two were both total drama queens!

“But if she likes her, why doesn’t she pursue her? Instead, it looks like Lu Zhao is the one chasing her?” Xu Miaomiao was baffled.

Hearing this, Zhou Jiayan fell silent for a long moment before finally shaking her head. “That part involves Lu Zhao’s privacy. It’s not my place to say more.”

Understanding her point, Xu Miaomiao didn’t push further, though she was still immersed in the complexity of their relationship.

Lu Zhao had fooled her so badly!

With friends like these, who needs “plastic sisters”?

Seeing that Xu Miaomiao still looked a bit indignant and fearing she might impulsively go talk to Lu Zhao, Zhou Jiayan urged her again not to let the secret out.

Xu Miaomiao gave her an OK gesture and nodded solemnly. “You can count on me!”

Zhou Jiayan: “…”

If people didn’t know better, they’d think she was working as a corporate spy.

Zhou Jiayan found it amusing, but seeing that the girl was no longer sad, she felt relieved.

“But! Sis, I really love you more and more!” Xu Miaomiao excitedly pounced on Zhou Jiayan, hugging her and rubbing her head frantically against her neck. “Sis, you actually have a mouth and know how to use it!”

In those TV dramas, everyone with a misunderstanding acts like they don’t have a tongue and refuses to explain, letting the misunderstanding deepen. It’s incredibly stupid!

Zhou Jiayan felt a bit uncomfortable from the rubbing, but hearing her words, she felt helpless. She raised her hand to ruffle Xu Miaomiao’s hair, telling her to let go.

Xu Miaomiao refused!

She had been very sad earlier! Zhou Jiayan had to compensate her!

So, instead of letting go, she doubled down and flicked her tongue against Zhou Jiayan’s neck.

Zhou Jiayan’s body went rigid instantly. Her hand, which was about to push her away, froze in place. She was completely stunned.

The skin on the neck is very sensitive. Even such a light lick felt like ten thousand volts of electricity, sending a numbing sensation through her whole body and successfully causing her brain to crash.

Sensing that Zhou Jiayan had frozen, the previously bold Xu Miaomiao began to feel guilty. With a sheepish expression, she let go on her own without needing to be pushed.

Looking at Zhou Jiayan again, her face was dazed. Curiously, she looked almost like she had been frightened.

Xu Miaomiao scratched her head and sat down obediently to the side, not daring to be reckless anymore.

It took a long time for Zhou Jiayan to recover. She gave Xu Miaomiao a long, meaningful look and, without waiting for her to speak, got up and went into the bathroom.

Xu Miaomiao watched her go, stunned, unable to figure out what kind of reaction that was.

By evening, when the four of them sat together, Qiao Yang and the other guy still hadn’t returned.

Xu Miaomiao asked, “Those two won’t get into trouble, will they?”

The director promised, “Nothing will happen. The program crew is following them! They are still at the bar.”

Xu Miaomiao blinked. “But… is it really that safe?”

“What if they have a drunken lapse in judgment?”

Director: “…They are two men. If they’re truly drunk, men… can’t really ‘perform.'”

Lu Zhao suddenly looked at the camera and spoke to the netizens in the livestream with a serious face: “Sisters, did you hear what the director said? As a man, he’s giving firsthand testimony to debunk the lie of ‘drunken lapses’!”

“If a man is truly drunk, he can’t do it. If something really happens, it’s definitely because he intended for it to happen! You must never let a man deceive you with that excuse!”

Lu Zhao’s sudden move stunned everyone, especially the director. His face was frozen, clearly not expecting Lu Zhao to use him as a sacrificial lamb.

— Yes, yes, yes! Even though what Lu-bao said is funny, it’s the truth! Sisters, don’t be fooled by that lie anymore! — Right! Those are just excuses for trashy men. Don’t believe them! — It’s already 2023, who doesn’t know that men can’t do it when they’re drunk? If you don’t know, go read more news!

The director snapped out of it and looked at Lu Zhao with a pitiful, somewhat resentful gaze.

But Xu Miaomiao wasn’t finished. She added, “Think about it, one of them already likes the other, or maybe someone wants to use the alcohol as an excuse to let loose. If something actually happens… oh ho, breaking news.”

Her “looking-for-trouble” tone made Zhou Jiayan rub her forehead. This person really had zero self-awareness as a public figure.

Prompted by Xu Miaomiao, the director was instantly alarmed. Right! If something really happened, even dying wouldn’t be enough to apologize!

He immediately called the camera crew, telling them to keep a close eye on them. Even if they wanted to sleep, they had to book two separate rooms to keep them apart!

Meanwhile, Lu Xunyou, who was drinking with Qiao Yang, suddenly noticed the atmosphere turning eerie. The crew members following them were staring at them intensely, which felt quite creepy.

They hadn’t done anything, had they?

Lu Xunyou felt bitter. Pursuing someone was just too difficult.

In the courtyard, Lu Zhao was diligently placing food in Ji Zhaoxi’s bowl. In Xu Miaomiao’s eyes, this behavior had now completely changed flavor.

Before, she would have thought Lu Zhao was being thoughtful and really loved Ji Zhaoxi. Now, knowing the truth, she sighed inwardly every time she saw it.

In the future, if Lu Zhao didn’t win Best Actress, it must be the market’s fault!

She was too good at acting! Even Xu Miaomiao felt inferior!

Lu Zhao suddenly felt something strange, as if a gaze was fixed on her. She looked up toward the sensation and saw the complex look in Xu Miaomiao’s eyes.

Lu Zhao: “???”

Why was she looking at her like that? It was like a mix of anger, relief, and admiration. She sent an inquisitive look toward Xu Miaomiao.

Xu Miaomiao didn’t respond. She just looked away and placed a piece of food in Zhou Jiayan’s bowl.

The moment she turned to look at Zhou Jiayan, her entire face lit up with joy.

Lu Zhao: “…”

That speed of changing faces.

— Hahaha, why do I feel like the atmosphere of the ‘Simp Duo’ is a bit weird? — Hahaha, dying here. Can it be any more over the top? This table is a four-way love tangle! — Xu Miaomiao likes Zhou Jiayan, Zhou Jiayan likes Lu Zhao, Lu Zhao likes Ji Zhaoxi. Great, President Ji is still at the top of the food chain. — Xu “Bottom of the Food Chain” Miaomiao: It hurts, I want to cry. — Doesn’t anyone feel bad for our Best Actress Xu?! — We want to, but she doesn’t seem sad at all!

To be fair, normally if Xu Miaomiao knew the person she liked didn’t like her but liked her friend instead, she wouldn’t be able to sit at the same table, right? Yet she acted like nothing was wrong!

Not only were the netizens confused, even Lu Zhao was puzzled about Xu Miaomiao’s current state.

After all, Xu Miaomiao liked Zhou Jiayan so much; how could she remain indifferent after knowing about that online incident?

And it wasn’t just Xu Miaomiao—Zhou Jiayan’s fans were also baffled. She sat there eating peacefully and only gave a faint greeting. Have fans these days learned such a great sense of boundaries?

Ji Zhaoxi sat silently eating. Even when she didn’t speak, her presence was incredibly strong. Many people were waiting for her to say something.

After all, her Chief Assistant liked the person who had been chasing her—how could this relationship not be dramatic? Could she stand it?

As it turned out, she really could. Throughout the meal, she didn’t say a single word.

— I suddenly don’t understand the relationship between these four. Why is it so convoluted? — It’s not convoluted, it’s just—can these people just clearly explain what the situation is! Wuu wuu, give us a straight answer!

But no matter how much the netizens speculated or begged for answers, none of the people involved offered an explanation. Instead, after dinner, the livestream was cut off decisively.

After all, the show still needed to be edited and updated online later. If everything was seen now, how could they guarantee ratings for the official release?

After dinner, Xu Miaomiao looked at Lu Zhao. she really wanted to talk to her, but she was afraid she might accidentally spill the beans because she was too excited about what she had heard. She could only hold it in and let Zhou Jiayan lead her back to their room.

Lu Zhao naturally noticed her odd behavior. Her mind was filled with question marks; she felt she understood them less and less.

However, she didn’t have much time to think. Ji Zhaoxi whispered in her ear: “It’s time to go back to the room and rehearse our lines.”

Lu Zhao: “…”

Great. Back in the room, Ji Zhaoxi told her to go shower first.

Lu Zhao was full of questions. “Why do I need to shower before rehearsing?”

Ji Zhaoxi gave her a side-glance, picked up Tangyuan (the cat) and put it on the bed, her voice sounding perfectly natural.

“Rehearsing after a shower provides a better ‘atmosphere.'”

Lu Zhao: “…”

As an actress who had spent so many years in the entertainment industry, why didn’t she know that showering created a better atmosphere for rehearsing?

But seeing Ji Zhaoxi like that, she eventually chose to go shower. However, while picking out her pajamas, she started to regret bringing only tank tops and shorts. They were cool for the summer, but she felt they were a bit inappropriate for now…

Lu Zhao gritted her teeth and eventually went in with her pajamas.

Once Lu Zhao closed the door, Ji Zhaoxi waited a bit. After confirming she wouldn’t come back out, she opened the bedroom door and dragged in a small suitcase from outside.

She quickly opened it, dumped the contents into her own suitcase, pushed the small one out, and locked the door.

Tangyuan watched her series of actions in confusion, then curiously hopped over to Ji Zhaoxi’s suitcase to inspect the pile of colorful items.

Ji Zhaoxi kept a straight face and moved Tangyuan away. Even though it was just a cat, she felt inexplicably embarrassed.

Looking at the mountain of pajamas in the suitcase, Ji Zhaoxi felt both shame and a hint of pleasure.

These pajamas were all prepared by her secretary, washed, and delivered so they could be worn immediately.

Thinking of the person in the bathroom, Ji Zhaoxi’s most important task now was to pick out a suitable set for tonight.

A pile of colorful pajamas—the kind that would make anyone’s heart race at a single glance.

Tonight, she was supposed to play a seductive fox demon, and the demon in the script always wore red. Thus, Ji Zhaoxi focused on picking something red.

When she saw a set with underwire support and a front-clasp design, Ji Zhaoxi stopped. She pulled the whole piece out to look. It looked like normal lingerie, but with red sheer gauze hanging below the bra to cover the waist and abdomen, giving it a hazy, ethereal beauty.

Seeing the pajamas clearly, Ji Zhaoxi blushed, her mind involuntarily wondering how Lu Zhao would react.

Support