NOVEL NEXT Chapter 58 - System's CPU overheating
Jiang Zi lay down under the covers, staring at the bright ceiling light in a daze for a while.
After two minutes, she reached out to turn off the lamp and pulled Tang Yuan into her arms, nuzzling against her silky soft hair.
“Little Tang Yuan, don’t be scared. I’ll learn how to make you happy.”
Tang Yuan’s heart pounded wildly, and it took her a moment to process Jiang Zi’s words. All she could feel was the tightening embrace, followed by Jiang Zi repeating herself, “I’ll learn well so my little Tang Yuan can be really happy.”
Tang Yuan’s breath hitched as a familiar heat climbed up to her ears again.
“Mm… I’m not scared.”
She hugged Jiang Zi back, their closeness unbreakable. “As long as I’m with you, I’m happy. I mean it.”
The dating reality show they were participating in spanned seven days per season. The first and fourth days featured mutual selection rounds and tasks, while the second and third days were left open for the contestants to develop connections freely.
Cameras followed them in real-time for the live broadcast, running from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. However, contestants who failed to pair up in the first round wouldn’t have personal camera crews; to stay visible, they’d need to join the paired contestants and try to win someone over before the fourth day’s selection round.
Jiang Zi and Tang Yuan had brought fishing rods and buckets and rented a boat to spend the day sea fishing.
They had gone to bed early the previous night and woke up before the cameras began streaming. By the time the live broadcast kicked off, their boat was already floating on the sea, leaving the other contestants who might have wanted to join them completely at a loss.
Tang Yuan baited her hook and cast her line into the water.
Meanwhile, Jiang Zi retrieved two bottles of champagne and a bag of fresh pastries from the cabin, laying them out on a table. She gestured for Tang Yuan to sit down.
Tang Yuan secured her rod in place and sat down, opening one bottle of champagne with a corkscrew. “Here’s to catching some big fish for a delicious barbecue tonight.”
She poured two glasses, taking a sip from one. “Hmm… Why does it taste a bit like seawater?”
Jiang Zi gave her a pointed look. “Did you wash your hands after handling the bait?”
Tang Yuan froze for a second, her face paling. She immediately dashed to the cabin to wash her hands and grabbed a fresh glass from the dining area.
Returning to her seat, she poured a new glass and took a sip, looking sheepish. “That explains it. No wonder it tasted like it was spiked with seawater.”
The azure sky stretched endlessly, merging seamlessly with the sapphire sea, where the horizon seemed to disappear. The sound of waves lapping against the boat was soothing, a perfect complement to the tranquil scene.
【These two escaped early, haha. Meng Yao’er went looking for them this morning but came up empty-handed.】]
【Calling it now—Meng Yao’er and Qi Hongqiao’s pair will break by the fourth day. It’s obvious she doesn’t like him.】
【Wild guess: Meng Yao’er will pick Tang Yuan during the next round. She did pick Jiang Zi last time, after all.】
【Don’t you dare. That’s crossing the line. Leave my CP alone!】
【Tang Yuan is so beautiful. That simple floral sundress with the spaghetti straps is perfection. And those braids—each is thicker than all of my hair combined.】
【Silence, please. Someone’s fragile heart is breaking over here.】
【Are they wearing couple outfits? Hahaha!】
Tang Yuan’s sundress, with its white base and blue floral print, fell to her ankles, elegantly accentuating her silhouette in a demure, ladylike style.
Jiang Zi, on the other hand, wore a blue tie-dye silk shirt with a deep V-neck, paired with high-waisted white trousers. Her long black hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her relaxed yet confident aura screamed “cool big sister vibes.”
The fishing rod jerked. Tang Yuan quickly stood to reel it in, only to find an empty hook.
She stared at the water and then at the hook. “Where did my fish go?”
Jiang Zi, slicing a small cake into bite-sized pieces, placed them on a plate beside Tang Yuan.
“Don’t worry. We’ve cast a net already. We’ll have something to eat tonight.”
She stabbed a fork into the cake and added, “And remember, if you touch the bait again, you’ll need to wash your hands again.”
Tang Yuan promptly gave up on the rod and called for assistance.
Although they had rented the boat, it came staffed with several crew members. Tang Yuan approached one of the men idly scattering bait and passed her fishing rod to him, effectively making him its new inheritor.
Freed from her fishing duties, Tang Yuan skipped back to Jiang Zi’s side.
Just as she was approaching, a familiar “ding” echoed in her mind—the system was back. Her steps faltered as she focused on the system’s words.
[Host, the male lead’s entertainment company, QiaoChu Entertainment, has completely collapsed, resulting in a loss of 5 protagonist halo. His current Value is now at 68. Please monitor further changes and take timely action to reduce it further.]
[Due to the male lead abandoning his stake in the entertainment industry, media-related controversies will no longer reduce his protagonist halo. The host must explore other methods.]
[Triggered Mission: Expose the male lead’s true nature to the public. Deadline: One month. Reward: Deduct 10 protagonist halo from the male lead. Penalty: The world will self-correct, realigning the female lead’s fate.]
Tang Yuan froze, gripping the railing as she stared into the water. “By ‘realigning her fate,’ do you mean forcing her back to the male lead? Why is it that if I fail, she’s the one who suffers, and not me?”
[Please remain optimistic and approach this mission with confident. The female lead loves you now. If you want to preserve this reality, success is your only option.]
“Jiang Zi is Jiang Zi—she’s my female lead, not this world’s,” Tang Yuan muttered irritably, ruffling her hair until her left braid was thoroughly mussed. “Check Jiang Zi’s Self-Destruction Value and my affection for her.”
[Analyzing… Results: The female lead’s Self-Destruction Value remains at 50. The host’s Affection Value with Jiang Zi is 84.]
“Still no increase?” Tang Yuan was both shocked and indignant. “Are you sure your system isn’t broken? How can it only be 84? You might want to head back to headquarters and run a CPU diagnostic. I’m telling you, I’m totally in love!”
[Please refrain from verbal attacks on the system.]
Jiang Zi stood up, watching Tang Yuan’s retreating figure.
Though she was some distance away, she had heard every word.
Not only Tang Yuan’s thoughts but the system’s dialogue as well, their entire exchange echoing clearly in her mind.
Hearing the “84 Affection Value,” Jiang Zi’s expression subtly shifted, her gaze shimmering with complex emotions.
Even Tang Yuan’s emphatic “totally in love” couldn’t ease the oppressive ache in her heart.
Was her refusal to get closer because she didn’t love her enough?
Did Tang Yuan still not love her fully?
[Alert: The female lead’s Self-Destruction Value has increased by 10. Current value: 60.]
Tang Yuan’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly turned, her eyes locking onto Jiang Zi’s tall and upright figure.