CHAPTER 1: Making Money? Easy Peasy.

　　The fluorescent light above the dressing room was so bright that it was blinding.

　　Under the lights, Chu Ling sat in front of the mirror, slowly wiping off her lipstick with a makeup remover wipe.

　　“So,” she asked, “everything you said is true?”

　　The system replied in her mind, “Absolutely.”

　　Chu Ling narrowed her eyes slightly at her reflection in the mirror.

　　Just five minutes ago, this so-called “system” had suddenly appeared in her brain and revealed the truth about this world.

　　That was when she discovered she was actually a cannon fodder side character in a novel. She was about to appear on a dating reality show called Heartbeat Lab, cast as the control group for the protagonists, a stepping stone meant to make the main couple shine brighter.

　　In recent years, as dating variety shows have soared in popularity, they’ve also become a springboard for many. Some ordinary people join hoping to become internet celebrities, some internet celebrities aim to break into stardom, and a few fading stars use them as a last shot at making a comeback.

　　She, Chu Ling, was the third type.

　　At 21, she was still in college when a talent scout discovered her. Confident in her looks, she entered the entertainment industry with high hopes.

　　What she didn’t expect was that, although she was beautiful, her looks had a sharp edge. Her round, cat-like eyes and naturally upturned corners gave off a seductive vibe—the kind that made people instantly assume she was a scheming femme fatale. On top of that, she was just a newcomer with no real connections but acted like she had nothing to fear, flat-out rejecting every shady “opportunity” thrown her way.

　　In no time, her career hit rock bottom. She was labeled a small-time celebrity with a big attitude, constantly targeted by smear campaigns, fake scandals, and ugly rumors flying all over the place.

　　After being blacklisted by the entire internet, Chu Ling still lived as she pleased. Her mouth was as unyielding as her knees. She never bowed to anyone.

　　By her third year in the industry, she had truly lived up to everyone's expectations — a washed-up star. Not only had her fans disappeared, even her haters had nearly vanished.

　　With the idea that even a controversial celebrity could still gain popularity, her manager agreed to let her join a dating variety show — one that became a hot topic the moment it was announced.

　　Heartbeat Lab was a live-broadcast dating show where celebrities and impressive guests from all walks of life mingled, breaking industry barriers and sparking connections.

　　The show gained a lot of hype online even before airing, thanks to rumors that a newly crowned, famously low-key Film Emperor would be joining the cast.

　　These days, most dating shows were scripted.

　　The only reason Chu Ling was able to land a spot on the show was because she took the role nobody else wanted — the villain.

　　Everyone knew that if a dating show wanted to go viral, it needed drama and conflict. There had to be someone to stir things up and become the public’s punching bag.

　　With her already awful public image, the production team naturally gave that role to Chu Ling.

　　The real stars of the show, though, were the male and female leads from the original novel.

　　He was the low-profile Film Emperor. She was a wealthy heiress.

　　On the surface, they seemed like strangers. In truth, they were once married in a business arrangement. Misunderstandings tore them apart, and now the Film Emperor had humbled himself to join the show, all in a bid to win her back. The plot was meant to follow a romantic arc of her running and him chasing after her.

　　Meanwhile, clueless cannon fodder Chu Ling tried desperately to cling to the male lead for attention, just to ride his fame. Viewers quickly picked up on her tactics and dragged her hard online, even early on. As the show progressed, she became the perfect contrast to the clever, classy female lead.

　　In the final episode, when the male lead revealed the truth behind his grand romantic pursuit, the internet completely lost it.

　　After hearing the plot summary, Chu Ling asked curiously, “How come his fans didn’t just stop following him?”

　　The system went silent.

　　Only then did Chu Ling truly believe she was living inside a novel.

　　They’re secretly married, fooling their fans, treating the whole world like props in their little play. And the fans? Instead of lashing out, they start shipping them.

　　Stuff like that could only make sense in a novel.

　　Chu Ling picked out a new lipstick from the table. Facing the mirror, she used a lip brush to carefully glide a flawless layer of pure brick red across her lips. After admiring her reflection with a smug little smile, she asked, “So, tell me — are you here to flip my script? Gonna help me rewrite this tragic cannon-fodder fate of mine?”

　　“No,” the system replied, “you need to stick to your hated-by-everyone persona.”

　　Every year, there were way too many transmigrators and awakened side characters messing with the original plotlines.

　　Some, after realizing they were headed for a tragic ending, would try all kinds of tricks to interfere or even jump into the main couple’s love story from another angle. So many were doing it that the timelines started getting all scrambled.

　　That’s why the system existed. Its job was to step in whenever it detected a side character about to awaken their soul consciousness. It would show up, offer them benefits, and push them to keep playing the villain so the world could keep running smoothly.

　　The world needs villains.

　　Without them, who would stir up conflict, move the plot forward, trigger emotions, or bulk up the word count?

　　Chu Ling was one of those villainous side characters.

　　Over time, she had already started to sense something off about this world. If left alone, she probably would’ve found a way to change her fate and break free from the story’s control.

　　“Our goal is to keep the storyline stable,” the system told her.

　　“So you need to keep playing the universally hated villain. Do whatever it takes to make everyone dislike you.”　　

　　Chu Ling: “Huh?”

　　In short, they wanted her to piss off the entire world.

　　She frowned, then snapped, “Only an idiot would—”

　　The system added, “During the process, the negative emotional energy you collect will be converted into income at a 1 to 100 ratio. In other words, for every 100 points of negative emotion fluctuations caused by you, we’ll deposit 10,000 yuan directly into your account.”

　　Chu Ling immediately went silent.

　　After a moment, she looked up. “Are you serious?”

　　The reason she entered the entertainment industry was simple.

　　She wanted money.

　　She’d grown up in a family that lacked both money and love.

　　So the moment she became an adult, she used the only thing she had — her pretty face — to step into showbiz. Unfortunately, she hadn’t realized how deep the water ran in the industry, and with her awful personality, not only did she fail to make any real money, she actually ended up paying a ton in hush money and penalties after offending the wrong people.

　　While others were raking in 2.08 million a day, she was lucky if she didn’t lose 280,000 by nightfall.

　　The system chimed in again, “Completely serious!”　　

　　Chu Ling pressed, “And how are you going to prove it?”

　　“Miss Chu, it’s almost time to start filming.”

　　The makeup artist walked back in, paused when she saw her, then frowned. “Miss Chu, did you change your lipstick without telling me?”

　　That was definitely not the shade she’d applied earlier.

　　“Yup.”

　　Chu Ling nodded calmly. “Because I thought the one you picked looked ugly.”

　　The pink-toned lipstick the makeup artist picked didn’t match Chu Ling’s overall makeup or outfit at all. It even dulled her natural beauty.

　　The makeup artist sighed softly, then said, “Miss Chu, I’ve mentioned this before — all our makeup and styling goes through strict checks. You shouldn’t make changes on your own. Even if something needs adjusting, you should’ve let me know first.”

　　Chu Ling pointed at her own eyes. “What do you think these are?”

　　The makeup artist looked confused. “…Huh?”

　　“I have eyes, so I can clearly see whether something looks good or not.”

　　She let out a soft laugh. “I heard you’re a seasoned makeup artist, yet you chose a lipstick like that for me. It’s either your sense of style is seriously lacking, and you should probably consider switching careers… or…”

　　Chu Ling stared straight at her. “You did it on purpose.”

　　The makeup artist visibly panicked for a second, then stiffly replied, “Please don’t make wild assumptions. I’ve done my job properly.”

　　Someone outside called again, “Time is almost up.”

　　“The shoot’s about to start. If you still have something to say, we can talk next time.”

　　Chu Ling picked up her bag and waved a casual goodbye. Just as she was closing the door behind her, she heard the makeup artist mumble under her breath, “She really is just as annoying as the rumors say.”

　　Ah, right.

　　Chu Ling let out a self-deprecating chuckle and thought, she really did have that kind of personality. Annoying. Unlikeable. Ever since she was a kid, no one had ever truly liked her.

　　She always assumed she was just naturally bad at getting along with people.

　　But if what the system said was true, maybe that was just a setting made by the author.　

　　Bzzz. Bzzz.

　　Chu Ling’s phone vibrated twice.

　　She glanced at it and noticed a new app had appeared out of nowhere. At the top, a pop-up message flashed on the screen:

　　【Congratulations! You’ve received 10 points of negative emotion from makeup artist Annie.】

　　【Account credited: 1,000 yuan.】

　　Chu Ling froze. Then she opened her banking app to check.

　　Sure enough, her card really had an extra 1,000 yuan.

　　In that instant, her heart started racing uncontrollably.

　　“Now do you believe me? I told you it was real.”

　　The system sounded smug. “Relax, we exist above the world’s natural order. That money will be rationalized by the system — no one’s gonna arrest you for unexplained income.”

　　“And no taxes either. Whatever lands in your account is yours to keep.”

　　So easy?

　　Chu Ling’s mood, which had dipped just a moment ago, instantly brightened.

　　So all she had to do was get hated to earn money?

　　For her, that was way too easy.

　　Even without factoring in her naturally off-putting personality, being a female celebrity and getting hated was as natural as breathing.

　　Too fat, too skinny. Too tall, too short. Too loud, too quiet. No matter what you did, people would find something to hate. Even being too perfect would get you slammed for being fake.

　　Now this — this was going to be a walk in the park.

　　“I believe you.”

　　In a great mood, Chu Ling hopped into the show’s transport vehicle headed for the recording site, a luxurious villa just a short drive away.

　　On the way, her manager, Xu Jie, sent her a reminder via text:

　　【Make the most of this chance. No matter how badly you get cursed out, you have to endure it.】

　　Before they left, Xu Jie had already warned her: this was her final shot at making a comeback. She had to go all in. Even if she was scolded to death, the traffic it brought would be real. And if she still couldn’t rise again, she’d be completely shelved.

　　All in?

　　Of course she could go all in!

　　If being hated meant making money, then it didn’t matter if the whole world despised her.

　　Even if one day she was the only person left who loved herself, she’d still live her best life in a giant mansion, counting her Maybachs and Rolls-Royces, crying over her piles of gold and jewelry.

　　Chu Ling fell into thought, and somehow, the corners of her mouth twitched into a creepy smile.

　　The system watched as her grin grew increasingly unhinged. “...Can you tone it down a little?”

　　Chu Ling pulled out her compact mirror to check her expression, then forced down the corners of her lips. “Got it.”

　　When they arrived at the villa, Chu Ling got out of the car.

　　She already knew that her assigned role was the Female Guest No.1, so she was supposed to arrive first.

　　Meanwhile, the live broadcast room had been opened early, quietly stirring up hype behind the scenes.

　　【She’s here, she’s here! My first time tuning in to a live dating show—I’m way too excited.】

　　【Is the guest list online legit? Is the Film Emperor Qin Shuo really coming??】

　　【His flight info’s already leaked, so it’s pretty much a done deal.】

　　The camera slowly zoomed in, capturing a shot of Chu Ling’s back.

　　【Is that a girl? The Female Guest No.1? Anyone recognize her?】

　　【Is she a celebrity or a regular person?】

　　【That outfit doesn’t look like a regular person’s... Based on the rumored cast list, could that be Chu Ling?】

　　Although Chu Ling had faded from the spotlight these past two years, the public still knew who she was.

　　Unfortunately, not for good reasons.

　　The camera moved in again, catching a glimpse of her faint profile.

　　【Damn, that really looks like Chu Ling.】

　　【The program team must be desperate for traffic. What were they thinking inviting her? Aren’t they worried she’ll mess up the whole show?】

　　【Who still doesn’t know about all her scandals from a few years ago? It feels like she came to this show just to clear her name.】

　　【If my brother really joins this show, someone please make sure she stays far away from him! Ahhhhhh!!!】

　　Even if some people only felt a tiny bit of dislike toward her, the sheer volume of viewers meant that in just a few short minutes, Chu Ling’s ¹backend had already raked in over a hundred thousand yuan.

　　She couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from curling up.

　　Right then, the camera zoomed in and finally caught her full face.

　　She looked up, eyes bright and confident as she stared directly into the lens. Her brows raised slightly, her smile bold and dazzling, with an aura that said she was here to win.

　　Bring on the storm. Don’t pity me—just hit me with everything you’ve got!

　　For a moment, even the viewers who were bashing her or listing her scandals went quiet.

　　【I know she’s problematic and all but still...】

　　【This woman’s face really is something else!】

CHAPTER 2: What Doesn’t Kill Me Will Eventually Make Me Richer

　　Chu Ling was the first to enter the villa.

　　The living room inside was pretty spacious. Near the floor-to-ceiling windows sat a long sofa with eight cushions neatly arranged on it.

　　Without hesitation, Chu Ling picked the center spot and sat down.

　　【She went straight for the center seat. Classic her.】

　　【I originally thought it was outrageous, but when I thought about Chu Ling, it actually seemed pretty normal... Didn’t everyone know she’d been buying press releases to hype up her beauty for years?】

　　Feeling bored while waiting, Chu Ling told the system to report the live comment feed to her. As she listened, she rolled her eyes silently.

　　Come on.

　　With a face like this, she steals the spotlight just by showing up in the same frame. Why would she need to pay for articles?

　　But whatever.

　　What doesn’t kill her will only make her richer.

　　Chu Ling rubbed her hands together in her mind. “What else can I do to stir things up even more?”

　　System: “...Just be yourself.”

　　According to its database, Chu Ling was a naturally gifted trouble magnet.

　　“Really?”

　　Chu Ling leaned her cheek on one hand and said, “So there really are that many people who hate me? I always thought the ones hating on me were paid bots hired by rivals. I mean, how else do you explain them repeating the same lame insults like they’re machines?”

　　She sighed with genuine regret. “They can say such filthy things even while looking at a face like mine. No taste at all.”

　　System: “...”

　　With that kind of mindset, you're bound to succeed at anything.

　　Not long after, the villa door was pushed open again.

　　A man with slicked-back hair walked in, dressed in a dark suit. His tie, watch, and cufflinks matched perfectly — not a single detail out of place. His whole vibe screamed corporate elite.

　　“Hello.”

　　When he saw Chu Ling, he raised an eyebrow and greeted her.

　　This was the Male Guest No.1.

　　The show Heartbeat Lab featured both celebrities and ordinary people.

　　Of course, aside from the male lead of the original book, the Film Emperor Qin Shuo, the rest were all little-known celebrities. So even though the production team labeled them as “stars,” in reality, they were basically semi-amateurs.

　　That’s why Chu Ling couldn’t immediately tell whether this person was a celebrity or just an ordinary person.

　　Thankfully, the system quickly fed her his info so she could more easily dance on his nerves and attract hate if needed.

　　Male Guest No.1: Lu Shixuan. Comes from a wealthy family, grew up overseas, Ivy League grad who returned to China and started his own business. Considers himself part of the upper-middle class and has a strong superiority complex.

　　“Oh, I know the type,” Chu Ling commented. “Usually a big fan of pretending to know everything. Total fake-deep guy.”

　　System: “...”

　　Lu Shixuan walked over to her and offered his hand with a smile. “Louis,” he introduced himself.

　　Chu Ling looked up at him, didn’t take his hand, and asked, “Are you a foreigner? Chinese-American?”

　　Lu Shixuan replied, “No. I’m Chinese.”

　　Chu Ling asked, “Then you don’t have your own Chinese name?”　　

　　“……”

　　Lu Shixuan was momentarily caught off guard, but quickly regained his composure. “Sorry, I'm just used to people calling me by my English name at work. But of course, you can call me by my Chinese name, Lu Shixuan.”

　　“I'm not your coworker though.”

　　Chu Ling casually introduced herself. “Chu Ling.”

　　She had only asked a simple question, but after that brief exchange, Lu Shixuan chose a seat a bit farther from her and didn’t continue the conversation. Instead, he shifted his gaze back to the entrance, waiting for the next person to arrive.

　　System: “See? Told you. You’ve got a natural talent for this.”

　　Chu Ling: “...”

　　Pretty sure he's just petty.

　　More guests started arriving one after another.

　　Female Guest No.2, Gao Yan, had short curly chestnut hair, a sweet smile, and a cute face that gave off a naturally friendly vibe.

　　Female Guest No.3, Ye Weiyang, showed up in a suit with her hair in a neat bun. She greeted everyone confidently and even brought little gifts for all of them.

　　Male Guest No.2, Lin Zirun, had slightly long hair tied up in a small ponytail. He gave off a strong artsy, indie vibe from head to toe.

　　Male Guest No.3, Jiang Yicheng, looked like the youngest of the bunch. His outfit was laid-back and stylish, the kind of look you’d expect from a rich young guy.

　　“Friendly reminder,” the system said. “Don’t fall for any of the male guests here. Even though they’re on a dating show, not a single one of them is actually single. They all still have girlfriends off-camera.”

　　“Makes sense.”

　　Chu Ling wasn’t surprised at all. “These days even dating shows are getting hit with scandals. If no dirt gets exposed after the show ends, is it even a real dating show?”　　

　　Objectively speaking, even though the guests on this show are supposed to be regular people, their looks are seriously top-tier.

　　Too bad every single one of them came here with their own hidden agenda. Basically, aside from the male and female leads, no one’s here to actually fall in love.

　　Still, everyone’s got to put on a show.

　　So, once they entered the villa, the male and female guests greeted each other, sat down, and started exchanging glances. Every smile was captured and broadcasted by the crew, complete with perfectly timed pink effects. Even a quick glance could be edited into a “love at first sight” moment.

　　【Ahhh I’m shipping Male Guest No.1 and Female Guest No.2! Anyone with me? Feels like a cold CEO and a sweet girl pairing. That eye contact just now was full of sparks!】

　　【I think Female Guest No.3 and Male Guest No.3 could work too. That sneaky dog couple vibe, who gets it gets it.】

　　But then, when the camera cut to Chu Ling—

　　She was looking down at her phone.

　　The barrage of comments that had just been buzzing with excitement over the guest interactions immediately turned furious.

　　【What is Chu Ling even doing?】

　　【So disrespectful.】

　　【If you don’t want to be on the show, then don’t come. It’s not like we want to see you anyway!】

　　Chu Ling, however, was checking her income dashboard.

　　And in just that short amount of time, she’d already made another two hundred thousand.

　　Hell yeah.

　　Keep yelling, people. Scold away. Let the storm rage even harder.

　　The last female guest to appear was the original novel's female lead, Wen Shu.

　　She had fair skin, gentle and cool features, and carried an elegant aura. The moment she pushed open the door, she stunned quite a few people.

　　【Wow, is this girl really a regular person? I swear on my ten years of idol-watching experience, I’ve never seen her before.】

　　【She looks even prettier than celebrities.】

　　【LMAO, looks like Chu Ling won’t be able to pull the “stealing the spotlight” headlines this time.】

　　Right after her, the original male lead made his entrance—Film Emperor Qin Shuo.

　　As the biggest name among them, the production crew even left a dramatic pause before he appeared. This cranked the suspense on the bullet comments to the max, with viewers guessing whether the final guest was really Qin Shuo or not.

　　Then, the door opened and the camera turned toward him, instantly sending the discussion into a frenzy.

　　【Holy shit, it really is Qin Shuo!!】

　　【Why is Qin Shuo on a dating show?!】

　　【This is for real? Can someone check how his fans are doing right now?】

　　【His real fans probably saw this coming... they knew this day of disappointment would come, even before they allowed themselves to believe the fantasy.】

　　【...Whatever. He’s thirty-five anyway. Let him do what he wants. Just please don’t let him end up with Chu Ling. 🙏】

　　Inside the villa, everyone clearly recognized Qin Shuo. Everyone except Chu Ling reacted with dramatic surprise.

　　“Whoa! Am I seeing who I think I’m seeing?”

　　“Oh my god, I can’t believe I get to meet him here—”

　　“Is this real? Am I dreaming?”

　　“Shouldn’t we let him sit in the middle?”

　　Seated right in the middle of the sofa, Chu Ling raised a brow, completely unfazed.

　　Qin Shuo didn’t look at her either. His gaze landed next to the original female lead Wen Shu and he said, “I’ll sit here.”

　　Male Guest No.3, Jiang Yicheng, chuckled. “Looks like everyone’s here. Shall we do introductions?”

　　Just as he finished speaking, each of them received the show’s first message.

　　【Please take out the whiteboard under the coffee table. Time for your first challenge.】

　　【Name & Job Matching Game!】

　　Ye Weiyang was sitting closest to the coffee table, so she took out the whiteboards and handed one to each person.

　　On the left side of the board were big headshots of everyone, and on the right side were the listed occupations. The task was to draw lines connecting the right person to the right job.

　　“Well... this one's basically a freebie, right?”

　　Female Guest No.2 Gao Yan glanced toward Qin Shuo and smiled.

　　Jiang Yicheng nodded in agreement. “Exactly. Who here doesn't know Qin Shuo?”

　　Lin Zirun laughed. “This is one of those ‘everyone under heaven knows him’ moments.”

　　Even though he was used to compliments by now, Qin Shuo still enjoyed being praised like this, especially in front of someone he liked.

　　He was just about to wave it off and say something modest when the girl sitting in the middle suddenly chimed in.

　　“Of course,” Chu Ling said casually, “a lot of us probably grew up watching ¹Teacher Qin's work.”

　　Qin Shuo: “...”

　　【I’m impressed with Chu Ling. Did she really not do it on purpose?】

　　【Now I finally get why so many people dislike her. She seriously has zero emotional intelligence.】

　　Chu Ling said it like it was no big deal, no malice in her tone at all. After that, she just looked down and kept poking her pen at the whiteboard, like she was figuring out how to match the names.

　　What she said was true, though.

　　Qin Shuo debuted young, and Chu Ling was still in her early twenties. She had already seen his work back in elementary school, so it did count as growing up watching his projects.

　　If it had been on a different kind of show, it might have just come off as a lighthearted joke, maybe a little impolite, but not a big deal.

　　But this was a dating show.

　　And the original leads in the book had a twelve-year age gap, with a dynamic that leaned heavily on the charm of an older man.

　　It wasn’t a problem since they were both adults, but with Chu Ling bringing it up like that, the contrast felt even sharper. Qin Shuo instinctively glanced at Wen Shu, only to find she wasn't looking at him. His expression darkened slightly.

　　As for Chu Ling, this challenge was basically an open-book test. If she wanted, the system could feed her all the right answers instantly.

　　But the message from the production team had made it clear:

　　【The number of correct matches will determine your date order.】　

　　Chu Ling immediately decided to give up and go full lazy mode.

　　She had zero interest in dating anyone here.

　　Aside from a few celebrities, the rest were regular folks—and honestly, a bit hard to guess.

　　Author, illustrator, CEO, bar owner...

　　Gao Yan lifted her gaze, looking back and forth between the non-celeb participants. She tapped her pen against her cheek and said in a cutesy tone, “Is there any kind soul who could give me a little hint?”

　　Male Guest No.1 Lu Shixuan raised a brow at her, then deliberately changed to a deep, suave voice. “Then let me give you all a tiny hint. Rather than the job listed here, I prefer to call myself... a dream weaver.”

　　Everyone else: “…”

　　“Of course, if you want to call me an artist, I won’t argue. I’m good at painting and have some talent in literature too.”

　　He looked at the given list of careers, smiled again, and added, “I also know a thing or two about alcohol. If you’re interested, I can mix you a drink sometime.”

　　“Alright, alright, alright,” Gao Yan laughed and cut him off. “Are you trying to mislead us on purpose?”

　　“But I really am good at all of those things,” Lu Shixuan replied with a grin. “How do you know I didn’t hide the real answer in there somewhere?”

　　【So talented! I’m obsessed!】

　　【Good-looking, talented, and rich. Do men like this even exist in real life?!】

　　Only Chu Ling rolled her eyes in her head.

　　Acting flashy on a dating show was normal, but this was way over the top.

　　She lowered her head, thought for a moment, and then drew a line connecting Lu Shixuan to all eight of the job titles on the right.

　　Once everyone finished, they counted down from three and flipped their whiteboards over at the same time.

　　One panel stood out right away and drew everyone's attention.

　　【What’s with this octopus chart Chu Ling made?】

　　【She connected every single profession to the Male Guest No.1? What’s going through her head?】

　　【Totally on purpose—what a schemer】

　　Even Lu Shixuan was momentarily stunned. He chuckled and asked, “Uh... what’s this supposed to mean?”

　　“Oh, nothing much. I just think Mr. Louis is really amazing,”

　　Chu Ling curved her lips into a mocking smile. “Honestly, it feels like the production team wasted their budget on the other guests. Should’ve just invited you alone, don’t you think?”

CHAPTER 3: Might as Well Offend Everyone

　　【...What is she even saying?】

　　【Is she throwing shade at the Male Guest No.1? Kinda rude, no?】

　　【But I totally get her point, haha. That guy was acting so pretentious earlier, like he’s an expert in literally everything.】

　　【Agreed. Even the Film Emperor doesn’t show off that much.】

　　【Not a fan of Chu Ling, but I’ve got to admit—she really spoke my mind this time. That felt good.】

　　【Still, saying it out loud like that is seriously lacking tact. No wonder she’s stayed irrelevant all these years.】

　　Inside the room, the atmosphere froze for a moment.

　　Lu Shixuan’s face clearly stiffened, but then he let out an awkward laugh and said, “I was just trying to make things a little more challenging for everyone. Just joking, really.”

　　While he was calling it a joke, Chu Ling received a system notification showing she had just earned 2,000 yuan from him.

　　Looked like he was fuming.

　　Chu Ling calmly put down her board and raised an eyebrow. “Same here. Just joking.”

　　“...Right, so should we reveal the answers now and introduce ourselves too?”

　　Ye Weiyang, the Female Guest No.3, stepped in to smooth things over. Her eyes glanced around the room before finally landing on Qin Shuo. With a soft smile, she suggested, “Why don’t we start with... our giveaway guest over here?”

　　Instantly, all eyes turned to Qin Shuo.

　　Qin Shuo didn’t hesitate. He gave a small nod and introduced himself simply, “Hi everyone, I’m Qin Shuo. I’m an actor, mostly working in films.”

　　On the livestream screen, his career highlights and achievements popped up beside him.

　　He had been acting in movies since his debut and had created several iconic roles. Just a couple of years ago, he won the national Best Actor award. He was one of those rare celebrities who had both popularity and real talent.

　　【My boy’s so humble, ahhh!】

　　【Seriously, compared to the Male Guest No.1, he’s impressive and low-key!】

　　As expected, everyone got the question right except for Chu Ling.

　　While everyone continued their polite compliments, Jiang Yicheng asked, “If you could pick a girl to get to know right now, whose answer would you be most curious about?”

　　Qin Shuo looked straight at the original female lead, Wen Shu.

　　Without looking away, he said in a calm and steady voice, “Wen Shu.”

　　Wen Shu’s eyelids twitched slightly.

　　She knew it was bound to happen, and honestly, she had expected it.

　　She lowered her gaze for a second, then lifted her head and answered confidently, “Hi everyone, nice to meet you. I’m Wen Shu, and I’m an illustrator.”

　　“Really?”

　　Male Guest No.3, Jiang Yicheng, raised his eyebrows in surprise. Then he looked at the answer board in front of him and shook his head with a hint of regret. “I thought you were a model. You’ve got that kind of vibe.”

　　The production team helpfully brought up a few of Wen Shu’s illustrations on screen.

　　【She’s this pretty and turns out to be an illustrator? I thought for sure she was a model.】

　　【She’s got such a classy aura, and with all those designer brands, she totally looks like a rich young lady.】

　　【Why is she beautiful, talented, and rich? Life really isn’t fair.】

　　【Yep, I guess I was just born to fill the population count.】

　　Now it was Wen Shu’s turn to pick someone.

　　Feeling a bit scattered, she randomly chose Jiang Yicheng, since he had just spoken to her.

　　“Let me take a look at what everyone guessed.”

　　Jiang Yicheng rested his chin in his hand, glanced around, then let out a soft laugh. “A couple people got it right, but not many. I must be hard to read, huh?”

　　“You’re right. I’m a bar manager.”

　　Chu Ling originally wanted to ask something, but when she saw everyone nodding like they understood, she held back. Still, she asked the system, “What does ‘bar manager’ actually mean?”

　　The system replied very seriously, “It means he’s the founder or main person in charge of the brand—”

　　Chu Ling cut in, “Speak human language.”

　　After a short pause, the system adjusted, “You can just think of it as being the boss.”

　　Chu Ling replied, “Then why not just say bar boss?”

　　The system answered, “Maybe ‘manager’ just sounds trendier these days?”

　　Chu Ling thought about it and nodded. Makes sense.

　　Because it sounds more high-end.

　　After all, when you're on a show, wording matters—it’s all about presentation. Like, if the breakfast vendor downstairs came on the show, she could call herself a Jianbing Guozi specialist instead of a street vendor.

　　Jiang Yicheng asked everyone, “Do I not look like one?”

　　“You do look like someone who drinks a lot.”

　　Ye Weiyang gave her white board an X on that line of guessing. “But you look more like a regular at the bar, not the one running it.”

　　Next up was Ye Weiyang.

　　She smiled slightly and said, “I’m a fashion designer. If there's ever a chance in the future, I’d love to collaborate with any of you.”

　　【I know her! She’s designed custom outfits for so many celebrities!!】

　　Even though she was a non-celebrity, she clearly had close ties to the entertainment industry.

　　Chu Ling suspected she joined this show to grow her client base.

　　After Ye Weiyang finished her introduction, she glanced around the room.

　　Male Guest No.1, Lu Shixuan, hadn’t been picked for two rounds in a row, and his expression was starting to sour.

　　He’d always carried himself with a strong sense of superiority, so not being the center of attention here was clearly frustrating. He was doing his best not to let his annoyance show.

　　So Ye Weiyang graciously chose him next.

　　Finally, it was Lu Shixuan’s turn to shine. He instinctively adjusted his cuff before speaking. “Hello everyone, my name is Lu Shixuan, but I usually go by Louis. I studied abroad for a few years, and just recently started my own company. It’s not very big yet, but it went public not long ago. We mainly do finance.”

　　He finished, and as usual, waited for the expected wave of admiration.

　　【I knew he was a CEO type! He totally gives off that vibe.】

　　【No wonder he can act like that—he’s got the backing for it.】

　　“Ohhh—”

　　But then, Chu Ling casually chimed in, “So you're also a manager.”

　　Lu Shixuan instantly choked on his own pride.

　　That’s not the same at all!

　　His company is publicly listed! He’s the CEO of a listed company, not some random nobody trying to ride the wave!

　　His face darkened. Just as he was about to say something to defend himself, Jiang Yicheng slung an arm around his shoulder with a grin.

　　“Guess that makes us fellow entrepreneurs, huh?”

　　Like hell we are!

　　Lu Shixuan held back his anger and forced a couple of polite chuckles.

　　There were only two female guests left. Out of pure dislike for Chu Ling, he immediately picked the Female Guest No.2, Gao Yan.

　　“Not much left to choose from anyway. I’m sure everyone’s already figured it out.”

　　“Surprise—turns out I’m the model.”

　　Gao Yan smiled as she clarified, “But not a runway model. I do print modeling. My name’s Gao Yan, and I hope we all get along well over the next two months.”

　　The rest of the male guests had already been picked, so she went with the Male Guest No.3, Lin Zirun. After glancing at the final options, she asked, “You’re the writer, right?”

　　“Rather than ‘writer,’ I prefer to call myself a content creator,” Lin Zirun replied, pushing up his glasses. “The word ‘writer’ feels too big. I’m just someone who writes down thoughts, tries to share what I want to say, and happened to get a chance to publish.”

　　Gao Yan asked curiously, “What kind of things do you write?”

　　“My travel experiences,” he said. “A few years ago, I quit my job and went on a trip around the world. I felt like the noise of big cities was turning us into machines, so I wanted to return to nature and rediscover myself.”

　　【I really admire that mindset.】

　　【I like Male Guest No.3! Feels like you’d be so free with him.】

　　Chu Ling thought to herself.

　　Oh. So he’s here to sell books.

　　After listening to everyone’s intros, she noticed they each had their own little “hook.”

　　Aside from the main male and female leads, it seemed like everyone else joined the show just to get famous and boost their visibility.

　　Honestly, instead of calling this show “Heartbeat Lab,” they might as well rename it to “Debut Stage.”

　　Finally, it was Chu Ling’s turn.

　　“I feel like this is basically a freebie question?”　　

　　Gao Yan looked at her and smiled sweetly. “Chu Ling, I’ve seen your work before.”

　　“Really.”

　　Chu Ling gave her a polite smile too. “Was it my acting or the gossip you’ve heard?”

　　Let’s be real—her scandals were a lot more famous than her roles.

　　【How does she have the face to say that out loud!?】

　　【Is she… openly admitting her own scandals now?】

　　Chu Ling said, “I’m an actress too. Lately…”

　　Lately, she couldn’t get any acting jobs, which was why she ended up joining this variety show to ride the hype.

　　She let out a sarcastic laugh in her head but still kept things civil.

　　“…I wanted a change of pace, so I decided to join the show, meet new people. Maybe it’ll bring some unexpected surprises.”

　　And oh, it did.

　　The system already gave her the biggest surprise of her life.

　　According to the show’s rules, guests would get points based on how many answers they matched correctly.

　　After what Chu Ling pulled, it was only natural she ended up at the bottom of the scoreboard.

　　Which suited her just fine. She didn’t care who she had to go on dates with—none of them made a difference anyway.

　　The only one who got all eight answers right was none other than Film Emperor Qin Shuo.

　　Chu Ling’s expression turned a little amused.

　　“He got the answer sheets beforehand, didn’t he?”

　　She asked the system.

　　Considering his status, it wouldn’t be hard for him to pull some strings with the production team.

　　The system replied like it was nothing new.

　　“Well, he’s the male lead. You know how it goes—everything’s gotta be set up so he can chase the girl.”

　　The date picks would happen that evening.

　　For now, everyone could settle in and choose their rooms.

　　But it was getting close to dinnertime, so Jiang Yicheng was the first to speak.

　　“What about dinner? Do we eat out or…?”

　　“I peeked in the fridge earlier. There are ingredients inside,” Ye Weiyang suggested.

　　“How about we take turns cooking?”

　　Everyone eventually agreed to take turns cooking, and the order would be decided by drawing lots.

　　When Chu Ling looked at the paper in her hand, which had the same pattern as Qin Shuo’s, she was silent for a moment.

　　【Why did it have to be those two?! No way!!!】

　　【Chu Ling get lost! Stay away from my brother!!!】

　　【This is obviously arranged by the production team. They're just trying to let Chu Ling leech off my brother’s popularity! Production team go die!!】

　　Chu Ling: “...”

　　She didn’t know if it was intentional on the crew’s part, but either way, it wasn’t her doing.

　　Qin Shuo’s face didn’t look too good either.

　　But the draw couldn’t be changed, so while the others went upstairs to unpack and rest, Chu Ling and Qin Shuo exchanged a glance and wordlessly walked into the kitchen.

　　The system whispered to Chu Ling, “This scene is also in the original plot.”

　　Chu Ling was supposed to act all cute in front of the Film Emperor, hint that she couldn’t cook, and ask him to teach her. It ended with him being completely annoyed and his fans dragging her through the mud.

　　The system nudged, “Here’s your chance!”

　　Chu Ling replied, “Got it.”

　　Qin Shuo was deep in thought.

　　Before coming, his manager had warned him that many of the guests might try to ride on his fame. Especially Chu Ling, who already had a bad reputation. Negative press is still press, and someone like her might cling to him like a leech.

　　But for the sake of pursuing Wen Shu, he didn’t really care about anything else.

　　Still, looking at this draw result now, he thought maybe he had underestimated Chu Ling.

　　Worried that she might find ways to interact with him, he quickly tied on an apron and moved to the other side first.

　　“I’m not really used to cooking with someone else,” he said.

　　【Nice one!!】

　　【Stay away from Chu Ling!! She doesn’t deserve him!!】

　　Qin Shuo was about to suggest they cook separately in shifts. He could just make a few dishes on his own without needing to coordinate with her. It would be much more comfortable.

　　“That’s a shame,” Chu Ling replied.

　　Chu Ling quickly pulled off the apron she had just slipped over her head and said, “I’m actually not very good at cooking. I just thought I could lend you a hand, Teacher Qin. But if that’s how it is... should I not stick around and get in your way?”

　　She pressed her palms together and smiled politely. “Thank you, Teacher Qin. I’ll leave dinner to you tonight then.”

　　Qin Shuo: “?”

　　Even after so many years in the entertainment industry, Qin Shuo had never met someone with such little social tact.

　　Most people, even if they couldn't cook, would at least pretend, right?

　　He hesitated. “Are you saying you want me to cook for all eight people by myself?”

　　Chu Ling looked surprised. “Isn’t that what you meant, Teacher Qin?”

　　She pretended to think for a couple of seconds before continuing, “If you feel like that’s too much, I can just order takeout for everyone. That way, it’ll ease some of the pressure on you, right?”

　　Qin Shuo: “…”

　　Qin Shuo: “…Forget it.”

　　“Really? Thanks, Teacher Qin! I’ll leave it to you, then!”

　　Chu Ling hung the apron back up and happily skipped out of the kitchen.

　　The system sounded shocked.

　　“You’re not trying to get his attention at all. How are you going to complete the ‘everyone hates you’ task?”

　　“I am completing it,” Chu Ling said. “Check the dashboard.”

　　The system took a peek.

　　She was right.

　　The negative points Chu Ling was collecting were steadily climbing.

　　【Chu Ling, are you serious?!!】

　　【I’ve never seen anyone like this. They drew lots and she just dumped all the work on Qin Shuo? What kind of attitude is that?】

　　【So selfish!!】

　　“Sure, a clingy green tea type is annoying, but only his fans would get mad at that. Most people are just here for the drama,” Chu Ling said. “But this way? It’s different.”

　　Now she was a selfish slacker. The kind everyone could agree to hate.

　　Offending one group? Might as well offend everyone.

　　Go on, hate me all you want, everyone!