After the Scheming Girl Joined a Dating Show - Chapter 15

What does this mean?

Xia Mozhu looked at the large bag of snacks in her hand, feeling a bit dazed.

Was Senior Su Qin unable to carry it anymore, so she threw it to her to lug upstairs?

No, no, no. Xia Mozhu shook off that ridiculous thought; Su Qin wasn’t that kind of person.

Then… was she supposed to help distribute them to the others? Looking at Senior Su Qin, she didn’t seem like the type who loved snacks, so buying such a large bag must be for everyone to share.

Senior Su Qin was so generous; she had treated everyone to breakfast this morning, after all.

I really want to keep this whole bag for myself.

Xia Mozhu pouted. If she had bought them herself, she definitely wouldn’t be stingy about sharing. But this was a snack bag personally handed to her by Senior Su Qin—a bag that had even bumped against her butt. It felt very commemorative.

Though she didn’t know exactly what it was commemorating.

Xia Mozhu glanced around. Seeing that everyone else was busy with other things and no one was paying attention to her, she cradled the snacks and snuck upstairs, looking quite suspicious.

She walked into the room; Su Qin was reading again.

She really loves reading, Xia Mozhu thought as she walked over.

“Senior Su Qin, you bought so many snacks.”

“Mm.” Su Qin didn’t even look up.

“Can I… not share these with the others?” Xia Mozhu asked, feeling a bit embarrassed. “They’ve already bumped against my butt; the others might find them distasteful.”

Su Qin finally looked at Xia Mozhu, her gaze containing an expression that was hard to describe. “It’s your stuff; why are you asking me how to handle it?”

“My stuff?” Xia Mozhu’s eyes widened in surprise. “Were these all bought for me to eat alone?”

Su Qin didn’t answer directly, but asked a question in return: “Is this yogurt better, or the one from this morning?”

“I haven’t tried it yet.” Xia Mozhu instantly forgot her previous dilemma and took out a carton of yogurt. “I’ll taste it right now.”

“Who did you want to share these things with just now?” Su Qin asked again.

While drinking the yogurt, Xia Mozhu said casually: “Sister An Nuo, Sister Yanran, and Qi Tian. The BTS staff girl is very cute, but she wasn’t around just now. Brother Liang Shu probably wouldn’t like them.” Film Emperor Liang didn’t look like the snack-eating type, and he was the arch-rival of her own silly brother. As for the other staff members, this one bag wouldn’t be enough to go around anyway.

She called everyone “Brother” or “Sister” so sweetly; her mouth was like honey.

Su Qin took the snack bag from Xia Mozhu’s side, tied it tight, and put it into her own suitcase. The suitcase hadn’t had space reserved for this, so the perfectly organized interior was now a complete mess.

Xia Mozhu: ???

“Senior Su Qin, you… weren’t these a gift for us—I mean, for me!” Watching the snacks being taken away, leaving her with nothing but a nearly finished, empty yogurt carton, she felt like her heart was being drained of blood.

Su Qin: “I just asked you to help me carry them up.”

Xia Mozhu: “…” Senior Su Qin really is that kind of person.

Su Qin: “You call me ‘Senior.’ I have to let you do some things for me so as not to let that title go to waste.”

Xia Mozhu bit the straw. The yogurt carton was already empty, yet she kept sucking on it. Her brain couldn’t process the incoming information for a moment. Senior Su Qin was bullying her just now, right? She was!

The camera in the room recorded everything that happened.

Xia Mozhu lay bored on the square wooden table. Opposite her, Su Qin had been reading the whole time without speaking to her. It was so boring.

She completely failed to realize that there were several living souls downstairs who could help her pass the time—and that being where the people were was where the stories and the screentime happened.

Suddenly, Xia Mozhu placed her hands obediently on the table and rested her chin on them, her dark eyes full of anticipation: “We’re about to go on a date.”

“Cough, cough!” Su Qin covered her mouth with the back of her hand, looking as if she had choked on something.

“What’s wrong? Do you need me to pat your back?” Xia Mozhu asked with concern.

Su Qin looked over and said, “It’s just an ordinary afternoon tea.”

Xia Mozhu shook her head as if to argue: “It’s not ordinary to me at all. I’ve watched your dramas since I was a kid. This is my first afternoon tea with my childhood idol.”

Su Qin asked, “Which ones have you watched?”

Xia Mozhu listed them like she was counting family treasures, rattling them off one after another—including some “dark history” from Su Qin’s past that she’d rather not look back on.

Su Qin said expressionlessly, “Children should focus on studying. Watching too much TV leads to nearsightedness.”

“My vision is 5.0,” Xia Mozhu said. Her thoughts jumped around, and she changed the subject in the next breath: “Is it true that if I call you ‘Teacher,’ you’ll really teach me how to act?” Although the school taught her, they always said practice was just as important as knowledge. Private tutoring was also a major shortcut to rapid progress.

She wanted to grow up quickly and make money quickly. She wanted to become someone who radiated light like Su Qin. She wanted the fans who had supported her since debut to see that they hadn’t chosen the wrong person and reward their persistence.

“I have no talent for acting,” Su Qin said.

Xia Mozhu made a face at her. “You’re just being humble.”

By now, she was much less stiff when speaking. Su Qin said she didn’t hate her, so maybe they could become friends after the show was over. The thought made her feel giddy.

Su Qin shrugged, her tone a bit helpless but very light: “I work hard. I use the time others spend sleeping to work hard.”

Xia Mozhu tilted her head. She felt that the side of Su Qin she was seeing now was one she had never seen before—more real than before. She even wanted to reach out and pat Su Qin’s head and tell her: “You are clearly the best person in the whole world.”

“Why did you come on this show? Do you want to fall in love?” Xia Mozhu jumped topics again.

“Why should I tell you?” Su Qin reverted back to the slightly sharp-tongued “Flower on a High Mountain.”

“If you won’t tell me, then you won’t.” The little devil in Xia Mozhu’s heart jumped out: Regardless, I won’t let any of the other male guests succeed.

Su Qin lowered her head to read again. Xia Mozhu dejectedly took out her phone, just in time to see a message from her manager, Sister Li.

(Contact Note) Sister Tang Seng: The staff said not all male guests are here today, so there’s a lot of free time. Arrange your own time to post on Weibo and do a live stream. If you have time, film a few short videos as backups, otherwise don’t come whining to me about being lazy when things get busy later.

Looking at this long block of text was like seeing a monk (Tang Seng) knocking on a wooden fish and chanting sutras. Xia Mozhu’s head felt heavy and swollen. Sitting cross-legged on the chair, she swayed as if she were about to fall over.

She really envied Su Qin. Su Qin didn’t even have a personal Weibo, only a Studio Weibo. She didn’t have to think of ways to post pretty selfies to keep her fans, and she could even make demands of the variety show director.

Xia Mozhu’s gaze couldn’t help but fixate on Su Qin’s face, focusing intently. How long would it take for her to catch up to Su Qin’s footsteps?

“Why do you keep looking at me?” Su Qin couldn’t help but look up and ask.

“Because you’re pretty,” Xia Mozhu said earnestly. “You’re the prettiest person I’ve ever seen.”

The expression on Su Qin’s face became somewhat unnatural.

“I didn’t mean it that way.” Xia Mozhu felt like what she just said sounded like a playboy flirting with a virtuous young lady, so she hurriedly waved her hands. “Anyone who sees you wouldn’t be able to help taking a few extra looks—it’s like looking at the moon in the sky. There are no strange thoughts at all, really!”

Su Qin picked up a book from her side and placed it in front of Xia Mozhu, her tone cool: “Just read.”

Xia Mozhu pinched her own cheek and said to herself in her head: Look at you talking nonsense again, making Senior Su Qin angry once more!

Su Qin watched out of the corner of her eye as that “baby fat” face was pinched out of shape. After watching for a while, she seemed to want to reach out and pinch it herself.

With the tasks assigned by her manager, Xia Mozhu didn’t dare to feel bored anymore.

Because Su Qin was reading in the room and she was afraid of being too noisy, she moved a small stool and ran into the shower room to start her live stream. The room naturally provided a reverb effect.

“Hi everyone, I’m here!” Xia Mozhu waved at the phone camera, showing a sweet smile.

First!

Baby is too sweet!

Slacking off at work to watch the stream!

She’s here, she’s here!

Slacking off in class to watch the stream!

There weren’t many people at first; the few comments were all familiar IDs.

“Slacking at work is okay, but you shouldn’t slack in class.” Xia Mozhu looked serious. “You have to study hard in class.”

Waaah, I know I was wrong. See you next time.

Xia Mozhu smiled again. “Bye-bye then.”

Baby is such a positive energy!

Did my good baby eat well?

Is recording the show tiring?

Looking at her fans’ caring words, Xia Mozhu felt a warm glow. Just as she was about to speak, a shadow fell over her. Another person appeared in the frame, standing right behind her, dressed in white.

Xia Mozhu almost screamed on the spot, but after seeing it was Su Qin, she only patted her chest. She walked without making a sound; it was terrifying.

Su Qin asked, knowing the answer: “What are you doing?”

Xia Mozhu looked up at Su Qin: “Live streaming.”

Su Qin grabbed Xia Mozhu by the collar and lifted her up. “Stream back in the room, otherwise your fans will think I’m bullying you.”

Xia Mozhu grabbed her phone and was lifted back into the room in a daze, where she was seated in a comfortable chair.

The fans watching the stream recorded the screen as fast as they could. Unsurprisingly, the comments exploded.

Too cute!

Waaah, my daughter is getting along so well with her senior just after starting the show. Mom is so relieved.

My daughter is a bit silly; Teacher Su, please take care of her! Please!

Seeing my daughter have a roommate like this, my heart is at peace!

Su Qin looked at the fan comments on the screen and asked casually, “Is live streaming fun?”

In a strange moment of impulse, Xia Mozhu replied: “Do you want to join me?”