Milk Orange Omega Becomes Popular Through a Dating Show [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 3

Should she smile back?

As a Baize cub, Zhong Lin suddenly felt a hint of shyness, but she still smiled back at Pei Yi naturally and generously.

Two small dimples appeared at the corners of her mouth, her pink lips parted slightly to reveal a few neat, pearly teeth. Her deep-brown eyes were sparkling and clear, utterly unsullied, with the innocent quality of a child.

Pei Yi blinked, quickly clenching her fist and then letting go, feeling a momentary sense of confusion—what was this person giggling at?

She was… kind of cute??

Pei Yi quickly turned her head away, showing only her profile. As her dark hair shifted, the smooth line of her jaw was visible, and her red lips were tightly pursed. Her mood was clearly complicated.

【AWSL (I’m dead from cuteness), that eye contact has something to it? I must be blind, because I actually find it a little sweet?!】

【Zhong Lin’s smile is so sweet. I smell a hint of CP.】

【To be honest, I think the commenter above is overthinking it. Yi Yi would never like a person like this…】

【Awkward! Zhong Lin, please fade into obscurity!】

【Calm down, upstairs! This cub’s smile is so cute.】

【Zhong Lin get out of the entertainment circle +1】

【Zhong Lin get out of the entertainment circle + one billion】

…

To accelerate the guests’ understanding of each other, 31-Day Heartbeat Challenge arranged a dating segment for the first three days, with random pairings of Alpha and Omega guests.

Female Alpha No. 1: Pei Yi, Female Alpha No. 2: Chu Yunze, Male Alpha No. 3: Zhu Ying;

Female Omega No. 1: Zhong Lin, Male Omega No. 2: Zhou Xiaoduo, Female Omega No. 3: Liang Shan;

They would be randomly paired and date simultaneously, live-streamed on different channel splits, and then edited into a recorded final broadcast later.

Today was the third day of the show. On the first two days, the “Zhong Lin” in the original book’s dates were with Female Alpha No. 2, Chu Yunze, and Male Alpha No. 3, Zhu Ying. Therefore, Zhong Lin’s date today was with Alpha Guest No. 1—Pei Yi.

Zhong Lin lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes fluttering. She suddenly recalled the original plot, specifically the two days before she transmigrated:

When the original “Zhong Lin” was supposed to be on dates with the other two Alpha guests,

She ditched her dates and ran off to pester Pei Yi, interrupting Pei Yi’s dates with the other two Omega guests!

The “Zhong Lin” in the original book even uttered the golden quote: “I’m not here to ruin your date, I’m here to join your date.”

While the Omega guest dating Pei Yi, Zhou Xiaoduo, was away waiting in line, the original “Zhong Lin” seized the opportunity, skipped her own scheduled date, and messed up the Male Protagonist Omega and Female Alpha Lead’s date.

“Zhong Lin” opened her arms to Pei Yi, asking for “kisses, hugs, and being lifted up high”…

As a result, Pei Yi coldly stepped back, and the original “Zhong Lin” stumbled, falling flat on her face, looking like a pathetic clown.

Thinking of this, a sudden chill ran down her spine, and Zhong Lin’s small body couldn’t help but shiver.

The current Pei Yi must absolutely hate her!

“Now we enter the AO random date segment.” The director turned around and signaled to the staff behind him.

Zhong Lin: … Wuwu TAT

Three white passenger vans were parked at the entrance.

Guided by a staff member, Zhong Lin stopped next to one of them.

When she first transmigrated, she had a sharp pain in her head, and at the same time, a chunk of common knowledge about modern society was implanted into her mind.

Zhong Lin clearly understood that the white, somewhat clumsy-looking hollow-shelled object in front of her was the human’s ‘mount’—a car.

A staff member opened the car door and gestured for Zhong Lin to get in.

Zhong Lin nodded gently, following the instruction to sit in the inner position of the back row. Her two milky-white little hands rested obediently on her knees. She tilted her head toward the window, observing this world that had changed beyond recognition.

When she transmigrated, she had implanted data snippets about human society in her mind, but when she truly observed the world, Zhong Lin felt a profound sense of unfamiliarity…

And intense curiosity.

The sound of movement came from beside her. The adjacent car seat slightly shook as the other person sat down next to her in the back.

Zhong Lin continued to cup her face and gaze out the window, not even turning around to greet the person. Her small head leaned toward the window, her face nearly touching the glass, clearly captivated by the scenery outside.

Outside, tall buildings rose up, looking square and boxy, like oversized coffins standing upright.

Did humans not feel stifled living in these air-tight, coffin-like houses?

In the era she lived in, everyone had their own territory, using the sky as a blanket and the earth as a mat, and they could fetch water from each other’s streams.

The car started, and the view outside the window slowly moved backward.

Through the window, Zhong Lin saw elevated, crisscrossing ‘bridges’ with many fast-moving ‘human mounts’ resembling beetles. She became increasingly absorbed, her light brown pupils gradually widening…

She had intense curiosity about new things, but she was outwardly restrained, not clinging to the car window and staring. As a female cub, she had to be reserved.

Next to her, Pei Yi was in a state of high alert. Pei Yi felt extremely disgusted by Zhong Lin. Her body was stiff and rigid, her spine held tight, and she subconsciously leaned away from Zhong Lin and closer to the window.

Pei Yi stared straight ahead at the seat back, terrified that this ‘drama queen female Omega’ would cause trouble again… asking for kisses, hugs, being lifted up high, and all sorts of awful demands.

Pei Yi hadn’t expected that since getting in the car, Zhong Lin had been looking out the window the entire time, without even glancing at her. It was as if the road conditions outside were more attractive than she was.

Had her value to Zhong Lin suddenly plummeted overnight?! Was this an illusion?

After being on guard for more than ten minutes, Pei Yi saw Zhong Lin was still focused on the window. The tension in Pei Yi’s body slowly eased. The huge rock that had been weighing down her heart was lifted. She quietly leaned back against the leather seat.

Good. If this person wouldn’t bother her, Pei Yi was happy to have the peace.

The show regulations stipulated avoiding playing with phones during the live stream, so the two of them were in an awkward state—

Though there was no conflict, there wasn’t even the slightest eye contact. One looked out the window, the other looked forward. The atmosphere was colder than between strangers…

Halfway through the journey, almost thirty minutes in, no one in the car had spoken a single word. The bullet comments on the live-streaming app began to get anxious—

【Pure passerby here… am I watching this wrong? That’s it? A dating show?! Where’s the romance? Where’s the sweetness? Is the production team XX-ing around? Why is it not sweet at all?】

【The person above should switch channels. This room features the pair with the least CP chemistry. Go watch the other two groups, they’re really sweet.】

【Yi Yi is so beautiful. She looks so commanding even when still. Her jawline is so clear and smooth. So Alpha】

【Slurp. Licking my Yi Yi’s beautiful face】

【The Drama Queen Zhong Lin hasn’t caused trouble yet?? I was hoping to see Yi Yi tear her apart…】

【Don’t start a fan war! Zhong Lin is being so obedient today, staring at the road. I want her as my good daughter】(But this comment was quickly buried)

【I don’t care, I’m going to blacklist this hanger-on! Drama Queen Zhong Lin get out!!】

【Drama Queen Zhong Lin get out!!】

…

The director and the accompanying cameraman grew anxious. This wouldn’t do! A dating show without romance, without a pink atmosphere—it was like Sautéed Pork with Peppers that had no pork, or Chicken Stew with Mushrooms that had no chicken. There was nothing to watch!

The director coughed loudly twice.

Zhong Lin immediately turned her head toward the director. As a Baize mythical beast, she was sensitive enough to pick up from the words in the book that the ‘director’ was a very important figure whose instructions needed careful attention.

The director, hiding behind the camera, turned his head slightly and pointed at Pei Yi, signaling Zhong Lin to be proactive and try to interact with Pei Yi.

Zhong Lin followed the director’s instruction and looked—

Her gaze went past Pei Yi to the slot in front of Pei Yi, where two bottles of water were placed, also clearly provided by the show’s sponsor.

But it was a bit far from Zhong Lin, and she was wearing her seatbelt, making it inconvenient to reach.

Zhong Lin looked at Pei Yi with some hesitation…

Seeing this, the director raised his arm, pumped his fist up, and gave Zhong Lin a gesture of encouragement.

Zhong Lin immediately understood: as long as it was for a sponsored ad, it was okay to trouble Pei Yi!

Her slender arm cautiously stretched out, slowly reaching towards Pei Yi.

Pei Yi was staring blankly ahead, contemplating something. A small hand tugged at the corner of her white blazer. She turned her head, brushed the long hair hanging by her face behind her ear, and couldn’t help but frown—

Zhong Lin, who was seat-belted in the next seat, was leaning over, bending her legs, and reaching out to pull her clothes.

The white shirt had a simple V-neckline, which had slipped slightly, revealing her fair, long neck and the faint lines of her delicate collarbone.

Pei Yi’s gaze slowly moved up. A pair of watery, light-brown eyes looked at her, and Zhong Lin’s face was full of anticipation—

Most people wouldn’t be able to refuse a request from such a cute, adorable Omega.

Pei Yi was not most people.

She coldly glanced at Zhong Lin, one by one gently pulling off the fingers gripping her, and tossed the soft little hand aside.

“Zhong Lin, I hope you have some self-awareness.” Pei Yi called her name, her voice utterly cold.

Pei Yi took a tissue from her pocket and meticulously wiped the hand that had just touched Zhong Lin.

“Stop pestering me. It really doesn’t look good,” Pei Yi’s voice was clear and distant. Though restrained, her actions revealed her disgust toward Zhong Lin. “Has no one ever taught you…”

—Has no one ever taught you to be reserved?

Before she could finish the sentence, the small hand that had been pushed away immediately retracted. Zhong Lin sat up straight. Although she looked a bit discouraged and disappointed, she still hadn’t forgotten the director’s instruction.

“I won’t cling to you like that anymore…” Zhong Lin’s voice was low, sweet, and soft. Her eyes were innocent, and she looked utterly wronged and pitiful, a skinny little cub.

She looked so pitiful.

She was faking it . _(:з)∠)_

Pei Yi had never seen Zhong Lin look like this before, and her heart softened for a moment.

But it was only a momentary lapse. Pei Yi’s tone remained harsh, cold, and emotionless: “What do you want?”

“I want…”

“I want to drink Changbaishan Zhuang mineral water. The water tastes a bit sweet.” Zhong Lin blinked, raising her finger to point at the slot holding the two bottles of mineral water in front of Pei Yi.

Pei Yi: ??

That’s it? She only wanted a bottle of mineral water?

Pei Yi slowly clasped her hands, which were resting in front of her knees. She vaguely felt that the former ‘drama queen’ beside her had undergone some changes, from the inside out, from her actions to her words.

Even her former fervent enthusiasm for Pei Yi and her deliberate closeness seemed to have evaporated overnight? Was this truly an illusion?

Pei Yi was inwardly surprised, but the corner of her lips unconsciously lifted. She quietly turned her head to look at Zhong Lin. She suddenly felt that this girl might not be so annoying after all…

—If she truly wasn’t going to be obsessively clingy and excessively enthusiastic, as she had been before.

This product placement was too forced!

The director’s smile gradually froze. Was this the result he wanted?

Where was the romance? Where was the intimate interaction!? Comrade Xiao Lin, please be professional! Please bring back the enthusiasm you had two days ago!!

The accompanying cameraman: “…”

The barrage of comments was uniformly [hahahahahahahaha] [233333333] (laughter/meme codes)

【What kind of poor little thing is this? She gets scolded just for wanting a drink of water】

【Yi Yi’s shocked face: Can I take back what I just said?】

【What’s going on? Has the drama queen turned into a commercial advertising maniac??!!】

【Don’t be fooled by Zhong Lin, she’s a hanger-on! She just wants to leech off Yi Yi’s fame. E-Fans, start commenting Zhong Lin get out of the entertainment circle!!!】

…

The destination of this car was Happy Valley amusement park.

After getting out of the car, a staff member came over to distribute entry tickets. They were all-inclusive passes for Happy Valley, which saved time since they wouldn’t need to buy separate tickets for each ride.

The large, grassy area in front of Happy Valley (all fake grass) was instantly spotted by Zhong Lin. Several enlarged bronze statues, ‘fake people,’ were rolling around on the ‘fake lawn’ in various poses.

At this time, there were neither too many nor too few tourists.

Zhong Lin and Pei Yi were surrounded by the accompanying cameraman and staff, quickly attracting the attention of tourists.

Some people quietly peeked out, slowly approaching the direction of the crew, thinking they were filming a drama here.

The tourists pulled out their phones, snapping photos and short videos of Zhong Lin and Pei Yi with a “click-click-click”…

The two girls in the center had skin so fair it could almost reflect light, and their features were more exquisite than some popular celebrities.

These two were too striking in the crowd.

In recent years’ dating shows, the number of non-celebrity participants has decreased. Zhong Lin was an 18th-tier online personality, just stepping into the entertainment circle.

Pei Yi, on the other hand, was the youngest Movie Queen. She graduated from the Central Academy of Drama and had formal training. She won the Movie Queen award during her sophomore year at age 19, but suddenly retired at the peak of her career.

She actually went to the Wharton School of Business for further study. During her time there, Pei Yi even published an SSCI paper as a second author with her professor, making her a top-tier academic in the entertainment circle.

Just when everyone thought Pei Yi had completely left the industry—that Movie Queen, who had disappeared and been forgotten by the domestic entertainment scene, that woman, she was back!

Pei Yi had her own fan club, the E-Fans.

Zhong Lin’s Weibo only had about eight hundred followers, all of whom were anti-fans.

At this moment, some tourists recognized their identities.

“Yi Yi fly high, E-Fans will always follow!!”

A girl standing not far away, wearing a baseball cap pulled low and a mask, held a camera in one hand and frantically waved the other toward Zhong Lin:

“Stop trying to leech off our Yi Yi’s fame. You lack ‘fire’ (passion) and are destined to be a nobody.”

“Try to leech off her fame again, and you’ll get burned.”

Zhong Lin heard it clearly. One of the golden lines from the original book, “Try to leech off her fame again, and you’ll get burned,”

originated from this plotline.

Zhong Lin: Heh, humans.

So arrogant…

But the Baize cub’s philosophy is: Don’t panic when you’re scolded, just lay low (:з)∠)_

“Hello. Your support and affection for 31-Day Heartbeat Challenge… I’ve received it!”

“Thank you! Yi Yi and I will film well” Zhong Lin also waved towards the E-Fan, completely ignoring the insults. Her little arm was waving happily.

A ray of pale golden sunlight hit Zhong Lin’s profile, outlining the silhouette of the girl’s bright smile.

Her long eyelashes fluttered, and Zhong Lin’s smile was radiant, carrying a warm current that seemed to touch the heart, very infectious.

The accompanying cameraman quickly zoomed in, giving a big close-up of Zhong Lin’s smiling face.

【AWSL!! AWSL!! Dying repeatedly! Why did I only discover Zhong Lin’s cuteness today? Cub, Mommy loves you.】

【Allow me to switch sides for half a second. For this half a second, I won’t insult Zhong Lin. She looks really good when she smiles…】

【No matter how good she looks, Drama Queen Zhong Lin, stop leeching off Yi Yi’s fame! Fade into the center of the earth!!】

…

The staff behind the camera gave Pei Yi a thumbs-up, secretly marveling at how high Zhong Lin’s emotional intelligence had suddenly become.

Her ability to adapt was truly strong!!

The girl’s words just now were not clearly picked up, and with some post-production adjustments, it would truly appear as if an enthusiastic fan of the show had simply greeted them.

The staff couldn’t help but quietly click their tongues. Why hadn’t they noticed Zhong Lin’s impressive adaptability before?

Meanwhile, Pei Yi, who was standing aside, looked up at Zhong Lin, her eyebrow subconsciously twitching. What did she just say?

—”Yi Yi and I will film well”

What did Zhong Lin just call her? Yi Yi?!

Pei Yi lightly bit her molar. This feeling…

It was a bit subtle.