A scowl for love

On the same night, some were being lovey-dovey, while others were holding a meeting late into the night.

Fat Duck Media's headquarters stood in the heart of City A. In a conference room on the twenty-second floor, Director Yang, the producers, the writers, and the PDs sat together to review the show.

"Thank you all for coming to a meeting this late, but our schedule is so tight that we have no other choice. Let me start with some good news." Director Yang smiled. "Our very first stop broke last season's Confession Night ratings record, and we're now the most popular variety show across the internet."

The results were so impressive that everyone present was thrilled. Working on a Dating Reality Show that already had several seasons under its belt was no easy task. With earlier successes setting the bar, viewers would inevitably compare and judge.

Director Yang Qi had been under tremendous pressure over this change in direction. With the first stop performing so well, they had won their first tough battle.

Li Ming flipped through the guest profiles in her hands. "We really did pick the right guests. In previous seasons, the first stop was usually when everyone was still figuring things out. They only started realizing their feelings and flirting at the second stop. This season is moving so fast. Some guests have already made enough progress to film Confession Night."

Everyone knew who she meant, and some of the staff could not help smiling like doting aunties.

The writers began mapping out the romantic connections. Director Yang listened from the side, his expression growing more inscrutable by the minute.

At present, Mu Yunzhi had a one-sided interest in An Zhiwan, and Lin Xu had also shown an attraction to Qin Yuan. The romantic prospects of Leng Haiyue, Yu He, Qin Yuan, and An Zhiwan remained unclear. Only "Ning and Jade Together" was an obvious case of mutual attraction.

It was not impossible for two people to choose each other at the first stop, but sailing along too smoothly did not suit the tone of a Dating Reality Show.

Director Yang suddenly flashed his trademark troublemaking grin and concluded, "It's still not exciting enough. Love can't be all sweetness. What do Dating Reality Show viewers like most? Not just two people choosing each other. They also love watching guests get jealous, toss and turn over someone they can't have, go crazy for love, and get caught in a full-blown Shura Field."

Simply fanning the flames was not enough. He wanted to get them truly worked up and give them a proper taste of love's sweetness and sourness.

It was already three in the morning, but Jiang Yumiao still lay wide-eyed in bed, hugging his Little Wave plush and staring at the ceiling.

He was not sleepy at all. Whenever he closed his eyes, he remembered Ning Chunchi's burning gaze on the screen and the words he had said before ending the video call.

The Alpha's voice had sounded as though he was desperately holding something back.

"Wait for me."

Jiang Yumiao could not help burying his face in his pillow. During their video chat, Ning Chunchi had been so gentle, so bewitching, that Jiang Yumiao had lost his head. Swept up in the intimate atmosphere, he had accidentally said his most secret name for the man right to his face.

How had I made my voice sound that sickeningly sweet? And I'd even-even called him gege!

Oh my god. Your voice really did turn all cutesy in front of someone you liked.

Although he had embarrassed himself in front of Ning Chunchi so many times that one more hardly mattered, he still could not help curling his toes.

Once the embarrassment passed, Ning Chunchi's words left him baffled again. What did "wait for me" mean? And why had he hung up so quickly? I'd wanted to talk a little longer...

His tangled thoughts dissipated with the morning mist as time passed and daylight filled the sky.

By the time Jiang Yumiao woke up, it was already noon. He was starving, but there was nothing stocked in the refrigerator. In the end, all he found in the cupboard was a packet of instant noodles.

As he ate, he planned the next few days. He needed to shop for some daily necessities and buy clothes, then spend the remaining time outlining his new book.

The Dating Reality Show only lasted a month, after all. He still had to get back to his actual job.

Jiang Yumiao had just finished eating when his phone screen lit up with a transaction notification from the bank account linked to his WeChat.

He opened it and saw a string of digits deposited into his account.

"Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands..."

It was actually six figures! Jiang Yumiao was stunned. Even all his savings and the original owner's combined had never amounted to this much.

No wonder everyone wanted to enter the entertainment industry. Even an ordinary person could earn this much by appearing on a show of Love Mailbox's caliber, let alone a superstar best actor like Qin Yuan.

Thank goodness. The production team's payment had solved his immediate financial crisis. Otherwise, he would have had to consider finding a part-time job.

Once Jiang Yumiao had gotten ready, he prepared to head out. Remembering Director Yang's instructions, he put on a mask as well. But he had clearly underestimated how recognizable he was, and had no real grasp of how popular their Dating Reality Show had become.

A single mask could not conceal him at all. He was recognized the moment he walked out through the residential complex's gates.

A teenage boy by the roadside had been laughing and horsing around with his companion when he caught sight of Jiang Yumiao passing by. He froze, turned to look him over in astonishment, then smacked his companion's arm and shouted with the exuberance peculiar to adolescence, "Look at that guy with the really long hair! Isn't he Jiang Yumiao from Love Mailbox?"

The boy's voice was far too loud. The moment he finished speaking, Jiang Yumiao felt the gazes of nearby pedestrians swing toward him. Some reacted so quickly that they were already running his way.

The scene reminded Jiang Yumiao of the zombies chasing people in Train to Busan.

It was just after noon, and there were plenty of small restaurants nearby. Many people had just finished lunch and were coming out, so the crowd gathered quickly. At the shout, plenty of curious onlookers surrounded him. Even some elderly people who had never heard of Jiang Yumiao joined in when they saw the crowd.

The restless, advancing crowd left Jiang Yumiao trapped. A wall of people was gradually forming a circle in front of him, blocking his way out. Although the residential complex was behind him, he feared that turning back now would reveal his home address to these people.

A fine sheen of anxious sweat broke out on Jiang Yumiao's forehead. He had never encountered anything like this and had no idea what to do.

Suddenly, startled cries rose from the far end of the crowd, which then parted to either side like a tide.

A black Bentley was parked by the roadside beyond them. An Alpha in an expensive dark three-piece suit stepped out, passed through the surging crowd, and came to the frightened Omega's side.

Ning Chunchi swept a grim look over the crowd. The icy presence of a Top Alpha instantly extinguished their earlier frenzy.

If he had not been thinking of Jiang Yumiao and rushed back from City B first thing that morning, who knew how badly his Omega would have been frightened?

A feeling called relief welled up in him, unfamiliar and novel to Ning Chunchi.

Ning Chunchi motioned for Jiang Yumiao to follow him. They walked one behind the other, with Ning Chunchi in front clearing a path for him.

He was naturally aloof, and with the corners of his mouth turned down, he looked so intimidating that the passersby did not dare approach. None showed even a trace of the frenzy with which they had surrounded Jiang Yumiao earlier. They all retreated to a safe distance, holding up their phones to take photos and videos from afar.

Sorry, Director Yang, Jiang Yumiao thought helplessly. I'm probably going to land on Trending Searches again.

Ning Chunchi personally opened the Bentley's rear door for him.

Taken aback by the attention, Jiang Yumiao glanced at Ning Chunchi and said, "Thank you, President Ning!" Then he quickly bent down and climbed into the car.

The Alpha frowned at that and got in after him. As soon as he was inside, the driver started the car and swiftly drove away from the chaotic scene.

His eyes shining, Jiang Yumiao looked at Ning Chunchi, who had suddenly appeared right outside his home, and eagerly asked, "President Ning, what are you doing here?"

Ning Chunchi seemed subdued, his voice low. "Didn't I tell you to wait for me?"

Only then did Jiang Yumiao understand. The second male lead's "wait for me" had been entirely literal: he was to wait for him to return to City A and see him.

Ning Chunchi's gaze was dark. On closer inspection, there even seemed to be a flicker of reproach in it.

"Why are you calling me President Ning again?"

Jiang Yumiao's face beneath his mask instantly flushed red. His fingers curled slightly, and he said in a small voice, "Well, we're out in public..."

The Omega's words possessed a miraculous soothing power, instantly calming Ning Chunchi's unsettled heart.

The downturned corners of his mouth returned to their usual gentle curve. He raised his right hand beside the window, propped up his chin, and teased, "I understand. You can use that name at home for now. I'll give you time to get used to it."

Jiang Yumiao nodded blindly, no longer daring to take off his mask for fear that Ning Chunchi would tease him again if he saw his burning face.

Just then, He Yuan, who had been sitting in the front passenger seat and pretending to be invisible in accordance with an assistant's professional code of seeing and hearing no impropriety, suddenly spoke, giving Jiang Yumiao a fright.

"President Ning, you and Mr. Jiang are on Trending Searches. Would you like the topics taken down?"

At that, Jiang Yumiao hurriedly dug his phone out of his pocket and opened Weibo. His vision went dark.

#President Ning scowls for love# and #Ning and Jade Together's private date# were right there among the top three Trending Searches.