For you, I could be a female Alpha!

Su Yu looked delighted and surprised, as though he had had no idea Pei Ming would be coming.

Shen Ting stood to one side with his arms crossed, disdain written all over his face. Whatever else could be said about this bottom protagonist, he certainly knew how to put on an act. He had clearly invited Pei Ming himself, and Pei Ming had even argued with his family over coming on this variety show, yet Su Yu was now acting utterly surprised and delighted.

"Pei Ming, it's really been so long." Standing beside Pei Ming, Su Yu smiled shyly.

"It has been a while, Yu. I've been watching your latest hit drama. It's really good." Pei Ming reached out and ruffled Su Yu's hair.

The two chatted happily, but beside them, Si Chen looked particularly displeased. His expression was even a little ugly, as though he were gritting his teeth.

Shen Ting wore the look of someone enjoying the drama.

Yan Yi was the first to notice his expression and leaned over curiously. "What did you spot?"

Meng Yun and Bai Yuanyuan quietly pricked up their ears too.

"Nothing? I'm just watching an entertaining farce called The shy one, the gentle one, and the irritable one."

The shy one? The gentle one? And the irritable one?

Everyone thoughtfully turned their gaze toward the three men in front of them. Hey! They matched perfectly, didn't they?

Hearing Shen Ting's words, Su Yu cursed inwardly, but his eyes instantly reddened, tears spilling on command.

"Shen Ting, how could you say that about Si Chen?"

"Damn! What brand of faucet are your eyes? Why are they so loose? Even a faucet can't run as much as you. If all else fails, why don't you buy a wrench and give your head a good twist? See if you can tighten it up." Shen Ting turned his head away, looking as though he couldn't bear to watch.

"Pfft..." Meng Yun, who was easily amused, couldn't hold back a laugh. Tightening someone's head with a wrench-priceless.

"Shen Ting, right? I watched a little of the show before coming here. From the earlier livestreams, it seems you're very hostile toward Yu." Pei Ming shielded Su Yu behind him.

"No, have a little confidence. Drop the 'seems.' I am very hostile toward him. Doesn't everyone know that?" Shen Ting waved a hand, utterly unconcerned.

"Shen Ting! Don't go too far!" Pei Ming angrily tried to argue.

"Hey, I will go too far. Not just too far-I'll go overboard. Come have a go if you've got the guts. Whoever chickens out is the other guy's grandson."

"Why grandson?" Looking at the two of them, Meng Yun suddenly raised his hand to ask.

"Because I already have a dear son." Shen Ting glanced at Si Chen.

Feeling everyone's eyes on him, Si Chen trembled with rage. For some reason, ever since meeting Shen Ting at that café, he had spent every day humiliating himself.

"You're really something. With that family arrangement, whoever Su Yu ends up with, he'll rank below you." Yan Yi laughed from the sidelines.

The others blinked at Yan Yi's words. Right! Count it that way, and hadn't all three of them been roped in? That was Shen Ting for you. He really was something.

Su Yu's expression changed at that, and he hurriedly grabbed Pei Ming.

Just as the atmosphere in the courtyard grew increasingly tense.

"Oh! Is this some new kind of welcome?" A bright, crisp voice came from the entrance.

Wen Nuannuan took off her sunglasses and folded her arms, looking curiously at everyone.

[The new guest is Wen Nuannuan!!!]

[Nuannuan, my baby girl, kisses from Mommy ＾3＾]

[Genuine question: is she a newcomer in the industry?]

[No, no, I don't know if Nuannuan counts as being in the industry, but she acted when she was very young. That was her only role, though.]

[Yes, yes! It was Best Actress Ji's final film before retiring, Alley's End. Wen Nuannuan played the childhood version of her character!]

[She's that little girl who went viral back then? She's still my phone wallpaper. Time really flies.]

Shen Ting blinked as he looked at Wen Nuannuan.

Noticing his gaze, Wen Nuannuan gave him a playful smile.

A trace of confusion appeared in Shen Ting's eyes, because the original novel hadn't mentioned Wen Nuannuan joining the dating show. In the original, a fairly famous actress had arrived with Pei Ming.

Once again, Yan Yi was the first to notice Shen Ting spacing out and waved a hand in front of his face.

Coming back to himself, Shen Ting looked at Yan Yi beside him and suddenly remembered that, at this point in the novel, both he and Yan Yi had already been written out. Now they were both still perfectly fine and taking part in the show. This was probably the legendary butterfly effect.

The more Shen Ting thought about it, the more he nodded unconsciously. Only when Wen Nuannuan walked up to him did he fully emerge from his thoughts.

Looking at the hand held out before him, Shen Ting reached out and lightly touched it in welcome.

Shen Ting thought she would leave after the handshake. Unexpectedly, even after he had withdrawn his hand for quite a while, she was still standing in front of him.

"Shen Ting! I like you!" Wen Nuannuan's words exploded through the courtyard like a land mine.

Huh??? Three enormous question marks appeared over everyone's heads. Even the director and assistant director were dumbfounded.

The director looked at the assistant director beside him. Where did you find this wildly reckless girl?

The assistant director shook his head frantically. Senior, this reckless girl came to us herself.

Frowning, Yan Yi walked in front of Shen Ting and pulled him behind him, looking unhappily at his old friend.

Wen Nuannuan wasn't afraid of Yan Yi either. Despite her small stature, she radiated an imposing presence. Raising the corners of her eyes, she glared straight at him, as though saying, What are you looking at? Fair competition!

[Whoa, the romantic showdown is here!]

[Wen Nuannuan is way too bold. Yan Yi's been slowly boiling the frog, and she's going straight for a decisive strike?]

[Baby girl, it's not that Mommy doesn't support you, but you two really don't look that compatible (I will absolutely never admit that I ship those two too).]

[Shippers, raise the battle flags! March out and leave nothing standing!!!]

Wen Nuannuan poked her head around Yan Yi and smiled at Shen Ting behind him.

"Shen Ting, why don't you consider me? I'm not lacking in looks, bearing, wealth, or anything." Wen Nuannuan paid no attention whatsoever to the person before her who was already brimming with murderous intent.

By now, Shen Ting had recovered too. He looked at Wen Nuannuan in puzzlement. "What do you see in me? Do you know what people online say about me? They all say I'm terrifyingly crazy."

"No, no, no, I don't think so. I like an interesting soul." Wen Nuannuan wagged a finger.

"Honestly, I originally wanted to come pursue Yan Yi. After all, our mothers have known each other for a long time, and he barely meets my requirement of being interesting. But after watching this livestream, I realized pursuing him would still be too much of a stretch." Wen Nuannuan spoke with complete seriousness.

"I realized he isn't worth mentioning next to you. We're the ones with equally interesting souls." The more Wen Nuannuan spoke, the more excited she became.

Unable to listen any longer, Yan Yi reached out, hoisted Wen Nuannuan up, and turned her around.

"No, you're not."

"How am I not? Isn't there a term in novels called a female Alpha? I could be a female Alpha for him." Lifted off the ground, Wen Nuannuan struggled, kicking her short little legs.

[Alpha? Is that what I think it is?]

[Once again, I have to say, Wen Nuannuan is seriously brave!]

[Yan Yi's murderous intent is practically pouring out.]

[I noticed it too. Yan Yi definitely has a thing for Shen Ting!!!]

[Nuannuan, Mommy has to say, being a female Alpha is still a bit of a stretch for you.]

"Just stick to reading your novels." Yan Yi sighed.

"Getting him and reading novels aren't mutually exclusive." Wen Nuannuan tried to charge over, but Yan Yi held her firmly in place with one hand.

Refusing to give up, Wen Nuannuan stretched out a hand to reach him, only to find she couldn't even touch his clothes.

"It won't work." At some point, Shen Ting had walked over beside Wen Nuannuan.

Wen Nuannuan stopped moving and looked over in confusion. What wouldn't work?

"I like men," Shen Ting said bluntly.

Hearing that, Yan Yi curled his lips and let go. This person wasn't his rival at all. Oh, no-she couldn't even enter the game.

"Not even-not even a tiny chance?" Wen Nuannuan asked unwillingly.

Shen Ting nodded solemnly.

Wen Nuannuan nodded heavily. Her first confession had ultimately ended in disappointment.